Playing With Fire
by storyspinner10
Summary: <html><head></head>At the age of fourteen, Aria is a firebending prodigy. Distraught about Zuko's banishment, she leaves the Fire Nation, hoping to find him. When she runs into the Avatar her plans change. Will she stay loyal to her country or help the Avatar?</html>
1. Chapter 1

The tinkling sounds of the garden fountain drifted in through the open window, providing a pleasant background noise for the company gathered. Aria took a small bite of the food in front of her and savored the taste; her father had spared no expense for tonight's dinner. The entire household had been preparing for this night for over a week, the servants staying long past their appointed hours. Although their manor could never be described as dirty, it seemed to radiate cleanliness that night. The Firelord himself was in attendance, deep in conversation with her father. Fruitlessly, Aria had been attempting to discern the meaning of this extravagant meal but in her father's eyes, children were meant to be seen and not heard so any attempt at cajoling the information out of him resulted in a telling off.

She looked up and caught Zuko's eye. They both grinned but Aria looked away quickly, not giving him the chance to make her laugh. She wasn't about to be the one who disrupted her father's and the Firelord's conversation; she did want to live to her next birthday after all. Being close neighbors, Zuko and Aria grew up together as good friends. They did everything together and very rarely got into arguments. Just recently they had become more than friends; after months of crushing, Zuko had finally asked her out. Their parents didn't know; according to General Jirou, boys were an unnecessary distraction while mastering fire bending. A wet sloppy something bounced off the side of Aria's head and onto the white linen table cloth, disrupting her thoughts. Examining the mystery object she realized it was a piece of the duck being served and looked up in astonishment at Zuko. Seriously? Had he really just thrown food at her during such a serious event? Scowling, she turned her eyes to her father who was several feet down the long table, waiting for him to take a drink or cough; anything that would enable her to throw something back without being caught.

General Jirou, her father, was the highest ranking general in the Fire Nation, known for being just as ruthless as Firelord Ozai. He had directed many successful battles against the Earth Kingdom and had a huge part in bringing down the Southern Water Tribe. His name was uttered in fear in many parts of the world. He ran his family in much the same way he controlled his armies. Disobedience was not tolerated and quickly crushed with an iron fist, anything that marred his reputation was terminated, and every member of the family was expected to be the best. Aria often ran into trouble with the obedience part of his regime. It wasn't that she didn't try to behave but she just couldn't stand being told what to do. Hot headedness ran in the family.

When Jirou turned to gesture to a servant for more wine, Aria seized the moment. Quickly she located the juiciest, sauce covered piece she could find and launched it in the air at Zuko. It hit with satisfying accuracy right between his eyes. Stifling her laughter, she glanced again at the head of the table while Zuko wiped his face off furiously. What she saw made her stomach drop to her feet. Although her father had missed it, Firelord Ozai was watching her; his face expressionless. Deciding to pull it off as if nothing happened, she squashed her embarrassment and smiled at him. A hard thing to do considering he was probably the most intimidating man she'd ever seen. General Jirou seemed to notice the lack of attention in his guest and followed his line of sight; eyes coming to rest on Aria also. His eyes narrowed suspiciously but Aria continued to smile innocently, taking a sip from the glass on the table.

"So… Aria is it? Has she been started in the Royal Fire Academy for Girls?" He asked her father in his sly, drawing voice. Annoyance instantly flared up in Aria; his attitude suggested that she needed to be in a finishing school. Well…proper girls don't throw food at dinner parties, a small voice in the back of her head reminded her. Aria pushed that thought away and answered before her father could.

"Actually yes, I've been attending since I was ten years old. That'd be four years." Aria said, still smiling but with a barely concealed attitude. Firelord Ozai continued to watch her, his expression now appraising, calculating. Not many people dared have an attitude with the Firelord. Aria caught her father's eye and came to the conclusion that she had probably just made a huge mistake, judging by his expression.

"Go. Now. Drill until I give you permission to stop." Jirou spit out.

Aria rose gracefully from her seat and considered a parting comment, but her mother shook her head slightly. Bowing, she took her leave. Following the richly decorated hallways, she made her way to her room for a change of clothes. Briefly she considered the option of ignoring her father and going out to the garden, but quickly discarded that idea. She was in enough trouble as it was. Cool air brushed across her skin when she pulled her dress off and stepped into a pair of short, loose shorts. The only other thing she put on was a sports bra. Normally, she would dress more conservatively but seeing as she would be alone, her main concern was staying cool on such a warm night. Sighing, she headed down to the practice hall to begin her drills.

Aria began warming up, moving fluidly from pose to pose. It was extremely enjoyable, feeling her muscles stretch and contort without strain. After fifteen minutes of this, she was beginning to sweat and ready to start with the drills she was supposed to be doing. Down one side of the gym ran floor to ceiling mirrors, reflecting Aria as she progressed to ever more difficult drills.

After General Jirou apologized for his daughter's behavior, the dinner continued and they moved on to dessert. He could have smacked Aria across the face for opening her idiot mouth. From a very young age she had a natural talent for fire bending; her fire burned hotter than most, being a bright blue instead of red. General Jirou had cultivated that talent, procuring the best fire bending masters money could buy as her teachers. Now at fourteen, she was a fire bending prodigy and a force to be reckoned with. Shaking his head, he said:

"Should we retire to the drawing room to discuss these matters further?"

"No. I would like the chance to see your daughter's bending. I've been told she is phenomenal." The Firelord answered.

"Very well, this way Firelord." General Jirou replied somewhat reluctantly. He wanted nothing more to do with Aria that night. Walking briskly, he led Firelord Ozai to the practice hall and they entered the viewing balcony overlooking the floor. Below, Aria was still going through her drills without putting much effort into it; ignorant of her audience. Firelord Ozai watched with narrowed eyes, he could tell she had perfect form but was being lazy.

"Put her through her paces; Zuko, go down and challenge her to an Agni Kai." He commanded.

Zuko hesitated but at a sharp look from Ozai, hurried downstairs. When Zuko came up behind Aria, she spun around in surprise, almost hitting him. She understood without asking, strode away from him, and spinning on her heel, bowed to Zuko. He mirrored her actions and attacked.

Aria ran toward him, vaulting over the stream of fire Zuko had sent at her. Flipping through the air, she punched the air several times in succession, fire blasts issuing from her fists with each one. Landing on her feet, she kart wheeled to the side, avoiding his counter attack. Despite their friendship Zuko was getting frustrated; she was playing with him and he was actually trying. Growling, he increased his speed and power, throwing attack after attack at her. Her smile vanished and she started to pay attention. She launched herself into the air, propelling herself up with fire jetting from her feet. Reaching her desired height quickly, she tilted forward and somersaulted toward Zuko. Bright blue flames were projected from her feet, forming a wheel of spinning flame. Zuko managed to dodge out of the way of the main attack but got clipped on the shoulder; he stumbled off balance and fell. Looking up he saw Aria standing across the room, her arms extended up above her head. A rushing noise filled the room and above her head appeared a huge column of fire. She smirked at him and stepped forward, extending one arm out in front of her palm out. The column rushed towards Zuko, horizontally across the ground; the temperature in the room rose dramatically and sweat rolled down both of their faces. Aria contorted her fingers and at the head of the column appeared the head of a dragon, jaws open and bearing down on Zuko. She couldn't help herself; she was a bit of a show off. At the last minute, she clenched her fist and the column dispersed, inches from Zuko still sprawled on the ground. Aria jogged across the room and grabbed his hand, helping him up. Backing up a few steps she first bowed to Zuko and then bowed to her father and Firelord Ozai on the balcony.

The Firelord continued to stare down at them with his face blank. Aria felt uncomfortable being scrutinized while she was drenched in sweat and almost naked so she shifted her weight from foot to foot. She could tell that her father and the Firelord were talking in hushed voices but she couldn't hear what was being said. On the balcony, Firelord Ozai slightly turned to General Jirou.

"That was certainly impressive" He remarked. "She is fourteen?"

"Yes, just turned fourteen last month in March. She has been training under the best" General Jirou answered.

"Perhaps…we should consider starting preliminary plans for a union between our families." Firelord Ozai said thoughtfully, his eyes still fixed on the petite girl below.


	2. Chapter 2

Aria grabbed the red satin ribbon, laying curled on the vanity, and secured it around her ponytail. Checking her reflection a last time, she skipped out of her room and down the grand staircase. The warm June air caressed her face when she pushed the solid oak door open. Even from the front of the house she could smell their extensive gardens in the back; the flower's aroma heavily perfumed the air. There were no clouds in sight and Aria took a moment to enjoy the hot rays of the sun before moving off, headed to the Royal Palace. Being a firebender, she felt a natural connection to the sun; it empowered her, lending her its strength.

On the way she couldn't help but let her mind dwell on the last two months. Her father had summoned her to his study not long after the dinner the Firelord had attended. At the time, Aria had been nervous, thinking she was being chastised for something she may have done to displease him. It was nothing of the sort. General Jirou had informed her that he had entered into marriage negotiations with the Firelord. She didn't know what to think. At first she was mad, how dare they tell her who she was going to marry? On further reflection she supposed she shouldn't complain, Zuko was her choice anyways and the marriage wouldn't take place for several years to come. Exasperated, she shook her head and turned to other thoughts.

The palace was not far and she reached it within minutes. The door swung open at the lightest knock, evidence of the Firelord's well-paid servants. The man servant recognized her immediately from her frequent visits and offered a slight bow, stepping aside to let her in. Aria stepped forward reluctantly, not wanting to be inside on such a glorious day.

"He is in the courtyard Miss." The servant said in a somber voice. He motioned for her to follow him and led her briskly through the house to the door opening upon the courtyard. Aria uttered a quick thank you and bounded down the steps towards the pond in the middle of the courtyard; her eyes fixed on the figure she had come to find. Kneeling at the water's edge, turtleducks were clustered around him and he had not yet realized he had a visitor.

"Hey, birthday boy!" Aria called cheerily. Zuko turned around and seeing who it was, scrambled to his feet.

"That was three days ago." Zuko reminded her, "You know, that big celebration here? The one you were at? Three days ago?"

"I know! But I haven't given you your present yet." Aria said, ignoring the sarcasm and hugging him. She looked up at him, being probably six inches shorter, and smiled widely. "Do you want it or not?"

"Well yeah…please." Zuko said somewhat sheepishly.

Aria plunged her hand into her pocket and pulled out something concealed by her closed fist. She paused for just a moment before slowly opening her fist, revealing her gift. The long intricate chain glinted in the sunlight, highlighting the gold. Attached to the chain was a medium sized pendant, a couple of inches in size. He ran his thumb over the flame, the Fire Nation emblem. The craftsmanship was remarkable; the tongue of flame seemed to dance and flicker in the sunlight. Flipping it over, he received another surprise. Engraved on the back were fine, slanting words. With love, Aria. He looked up at her, his expression stunned.

"This is amazing."

"I knew you'd like it" Aria said happily. She took it from him and, reaching around his neck, clasped it in place. Before stepping back, she kissed him quickly on the lips.

"Was that part of the present?" Zuko asked teasingly.

"No. That was because you're cute." She answered.

"Thank you." Zuko smiled warmly. Aria plopped down on the grass and Zuko followed suite. The turtleducks paddled around the pond, their quacking reached Aria faintly and she smiled. Watching them was always amusing; the mother turtleduck was run ragged trying to keep track of her babies. Tearing her gaze away from the frolicking ducklings, she looked up and caught Zuko looking at her. She raised her eyebrows in question and scooted closer to him.

"Can I help you with something Mr. Fire Nation Prince?" She asked teasingly.

"I love you." Zuko answered seriously. Aria was taken back; he had never said that before. She considered him for a moment, her amber eyes flickering back and forth between his. A grin spread slowly across her face and she hugged him fiercely, knocking him back onto the grass.

"I love you too!" She exclaimed. She kissed him and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer. She pulled slightly away and smiled at him, pushing a lock of hair that had escaped from his top knot back from his face. In a flurry of movement all the turtleducks swam fast, fleeing to the other end of the pond.

"Aw poor Mai, I guess you don't have a chance with Zuzu." Azula taunted the moody looking girl standing next to her. Aria looked up, squinting against the sun, and saw the source of the turtleducks fright. She rolled away from Zuko and jumped to her feet, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Good morning Azula, Mai." Aria said shortly. She didn't care for either of the girls. Azula could be just plain nasty. They had been friends in the past but Aria wasn't willing to be dominated like Azula's other friends so it hadn't lasted. For a happy person like Aria, it was hard to put up with someone as moody and depressive as Mai. The fact that Mai had liked Zuko for a long time did not help.

"What do you want?" Zuko demanded angrily.

"Zuzu, stop being so angry," Azula smirked, "I just came to tell you there's a war council going on. Aria's father is there, but apparently you weren't invited…"

"What!" Zuko shouted, jumping to his feet. He had wanted to attend a war council for ages. Being the heir to the throne, Zuko felt it critical to learn as much as he could about running his country. War Councils were where everything concerning the war was decided; it was his rightful place to be there.

"Aria, I have to go, I have to be there." Zuko said hurriedly.

"Its fine, I'll talk to you later." Aria said understandably. Zuko hugged her again briefly and walked away quickly, disappearing into the house. Aria watched him go and sighed. She hoped he was allowed in. He rarely talked about it, but she knew how he felt when he was excluded from the councils. The top Fire Nation military leaders were always in attendance, the same men who could someday be answering to Zuko. Aria headed for the entrance of the garden, she had no intentions of staying and talking to those two girls. She was almost to the entrance when she overheard Azula's carrying voice.

"Get over it Mai, he's not worth it and he'll drop her soon enough, she's just the worthless daughter of a great general who never inherited any of his talent." Aria paused, gritting her teeth; it had been no accident that she had overheard Azula. She took a deep breath and forced herself to keep walking. It would have only made Azula happy to know that she had controlled Aria by making her retaliate. She shook her head and headed for the park, hoping to meet up with some of her friends who hung out there.


	3. Chapter 3

"So Aria, whens the big date?" Chin, one of Aria's school mates, asked. He was leaning up against a lamp post, watching the game in progress.

"Hmm?" Aria asked, barely paying attention to him, intent on the game in front of her. She was never very good at Pai Sho; the patience and strategy it required to be a great player escaped her. A frustrated growl emanated from her and she smacked her forehead; her opponent, another of her friends, had just made a brilliant move and it would be a miracle for Aria to win now. Knowing when to quit was also not one of her strong points so she continued to study the board, desperate for a winning move.

"Aria…?" Chin said, attempting to get his friends attention. Disgusted, Aria jumped to her feet, giving up on the game.

"You win." She admitted grumpily, "What Chin?"

"I asked when the big date is" Chin repeated slowly.

"What are you talking about?" Aria questioned nonplussed.

"Word on the street is you and Zuko are engaged to be married. So…when's the big date?" Chin said grinning. Aria scowled and pushed his gangly form away.

"Eh, don't bring that up. It got kind of heated at home for a while because of that." Aria complained. "How did you hear about that anyways?"

"Please, do you really think such momentous news would stay quiet?" Chin scoffed, "So is it true or not?"

"Yes it's true but I don't want to talk about it right now. It's a long way off so why don't we just forget about it right now and go see what's playing at the theatre or something?" Aria said fiercely.

"Ok, ok. No need to get upset." Chin said, his hands raised placatingly.

"Then let's get going if we want to get good seats." Liu, Aria's opponent, said. The trio stacked the tiles neatly on the side of the board for the next players and left. The theatre was ten minutes across the city and the kids hustled, wanting to get there in time for the next showing. Aria darted through the crowd of people and made it to the theatre with minutes to spare. The poster plastered on the wall of the theatre showed that Romance of the Dragons was showing. Aria wrinkled her nose, it wasn't her first choice but it would do.

The three paid for their tickets and took their seats. The interior of the theatre was cool, a refreshing change from the heat outside. Waiting for the play to start, Aria and her two friends joked among themselves, occasionally earning a disapproving look from the older viewers. Chin left to get some fire flakes for them to share and the other two continued to converse. Aria enjoyed hanging out with these two though she didn't get to very often. They went to different schools and they weren't exactly part of the Fire Nations higher society so General Jirou disapproved.

The theatre went dark and the crowd was hushed. Aria leaned forward, waiting for the curtain to open. She loved the theatre and couldn't help but get excited for the start of the show. Chin managed to slide into his seat as the curtains were sliding open; he passed around the fire flakes and Aria took a handful. Music swelled through the theatre and the actors appeared, frolicking across the stage. Aria was completely absorbed by the play, being taken in by the storyline. This was the third time she'd seen this production and she whispered the lines under her breath.

Over the next hour, the story continued to unfold, drawing many reactions from the crowd: laughter, tears, gasps. The hero was surrounded by enemies, his situation dire, when the curtains closed and the audience stood for the intermission. Aria stood applauding and made her way outside for some air followed by Chin and Liu. Outside, dusk was approaching and the sound of crickets filled the air; one by one, the flames in the lantern posts flickered to life. Sitting on a low wall outside the theatre, Aria looked up at the stars that were beginning to appear.

"I hate when they go to intermission right in the middle of a good part." Liu complained.

"But you've already seen Romance of the Dragons." Aria reminded her, laughing.

"I know, but still…." Liu said, sitting down next to Aria. For the next fifteen minutes, they talked and joked, enjoying each other's company. A soft breeze blew down the street, lessening the heat that still lingered from earlier in the day. Not that the heat particularly bothered any of them, living in the Fire Nation, the climate was always warm. Aria kicked her feet against the wall, impatient for the play to resume. From within the theatre a gong sounded, signaling the start of the second act. Jumping up, they hurried inside to catch the last half.

The entire audience stood, applauding the last act. After a small delay, the curtains opened again and the troop of actors appeared once more on the stage. Holding hands, they bowed, smiling at the hearty applause of the audience. Bowing once more, the curtains closed for a final time and the audience crowded toward the exits, eager to be gone. Aria waited before heading out, seeing no point in trying to fight with all those people.

Outside, true night had fallen, the stars twinkling brightly. Aria wasn't looking forward to arriving home; her father was not going to be happy that she had been gone almost all day. Although he had also been gone most of the day at the war council, she knew her firebending master would report back to him; she had decided to skip her training session for the day. They passed the park where earlier they had played Pai Sho and stopped at the corner. Saying their goodbyes, Aria went one way and the other two went another. The remaining distance to home, Aria tried to think of things she could say to appease her father but the outlook wasn't good. Hopefully, he'd already be sleeping and she could go to her room without a confrontation.

The door swung open silently on well-oiled hinges and Aria stepped as quietly as she could inside. She closed the door with a small snap and turned around, ready to make a break for the stairs. In her way stood one of her father's personal servants, regarding her silently. Cursing under her breath, she forced a smile and raised her eyebrows questioningly.

"General Jirou waits for you in his study." He announced solemnly and bowing, he turned on his heel and marched away. Aria slowly made her way to her father's study, dragging her feet. Pausing at the huge ornate door, she took a deep breath and knocked.

"Come in." General Jirou's voice issued from the interior of the room. Aria turned the handle and entered, looking at her father. He sat behind a colossal desk, busy writing something she couldn't see. She stood erect in front of her desk and waited for him to speak. It was several minutes before he acknowledged her presence. He rolled up the scroll he was writing on, and put it in a desk drawer. It was only then that he looked at her, leaning back in his chair.

"You weren't at your lesson today." He stated, staring at her coldly.

"I just lost track of time. I'm sorry." Aria apologized. "I'll-" General Jirou held up his hand and Aria fell silent.

"I did not call you here to listen to your excuses," He said, "After the Agni Kai tomorrow morning you will come back to the practice hall and train for the rest of the day. Your master is willing to come again tomorrow and stay all day. You will not leave this house again for several weeks. That is all, you may go."

"Wait. Agni Kai? What are you talking about?" Aria asked, ignoring her dismissal. If her father was taking notice of it, it had to be important. Her father considered her, eyes narrowed; he leaned forward his elbows on the desk.

"As I'm sure you know, Prince Zuko attended the war council today." He said uncaringly. At the sound of Zuko's name, Aria's heart skipped a beat, what had happened? "The insolent little whelp thought he knew better than General Shan and couldn't keep his smart mouth shut."

"What happened?" Aria asked breathlessly.

"I've just told you what happened." General Jirou said sounding annoyed.

"So Zuko has to fight General Shan? That's not fair at all! I'm sure he was doing what he thought was right!" Aria cried out.

A muscle twitched in General Jirou's clenched jaw; Aria was dangerously close to crossing the line today. He couldn't understand where she got her hot headedness.

"He is not fighting General Shan. He was disrespectful in the Firelord's war chamber; it is the Firelord he has to fight." General Jirou stated.

"His own father? How can he be expected to fight Firelord Ozai? The Firelord is a master bender! Zuko will be killed! How can you condone this?" Aria almost shouted, taking a step forward.

General Jirou pushed his chair back and stood up quickly, towering over her.

"You forget your place," He hissed, "The spoiled brat should not have spoken against a top ranking General, the Firelord does well to teach him some manners. Apparently you seem to be lacking them also."

"You're both just cruel, horrible men! It's no wonder you gained the Firelord's favor so quickly, you're both the same! I-"

"ENOUGH!" General Jirou roared. Aria's head snapped to the side when the back of his hand hit her across the face. "I have given you too much reign but no longer. You will be respectful and if you require force to learn then so be it. Tomorrow you will attend the Agni Kai and you will return straight home. From now on you will attend to your studies and you're bending only, I will personally oversee your training."

Aria watched him with wide eyes, her face smarting. She knew she had crossed the line when she had first started talking but she couldn't help herself. Her father was still yelling but Aria's thoughts were on Zuko and what he must be thinking at that moment. Focusing back on her father, she was stunned by what he was saying.

"-knew I should have agreed to Captain Zhao's proposal. He at least respects his superiors and would make you behave."

Aria shook her head and knowing she would regret it, opened her mouth to speak; once again displaying her lack of knowing when to quit.

"Zhao? He's got to be at least 30 years old! Almost your age! I will never consent to marry him." She growled.

"You will do what you're told. Now get out of my sight." General Jirou said, his eyes shooting daggers. When Aria hesitated to move, her grabbed her arm and threw her bodily out of the room.

"You," He shouted at a passing servant, "make sure she gets to her room and stays there." Giving Aria one last withering glare, he returned to his study, slamming the door behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

Sheets were tangled around Aria's legs from her constant tossing and turning. She had been unable to sleep, filled with dread for the coming morning. Sunrise, it would happen at sunrise. Formal Agni Kai's always took place at sunset or sunrise, being significant times of the day for firebenders. Sunset signified the waning of power with the retreat of the sun and sunrise signified the return of the sun and with it an increase of the fire bender's powers. She stared at the ceiling, listening to the sounds of the house around her. Every so often a soft cough or a creak of a floorboard would reach her; the servant had taken her father at his word and hadn't left the hallway outside her room. Aria was tempted to go out the window; she didn't have any destination in mind, she just wanted to spite her father.

Several hours later, sleep still eluded Aria, her thoughts had moved on to her father and the Firelord. She honestly couldn't feel anything but fury towards them. A soft rap on the door echoed in her room, one of the household servants had come to wake her. Outside, light was just beginning to creep over the skyline of the city and through her window. She jumped out of bed, no desire to lie there any longer. Not bothering to answer the servant's persistent knocking, she began to dress. She put on the traditional Fire Nation military uniform; this was not a social event. Pointed-toe shoes that stayed tight fitting up to the knees, black slightly loose fitting pants, and a dark, red and black armor like vest over a red tunic. She wasn't in the military but every high class citizen had such an outfit. Her last preparation was to secure her hair in a top knot. Pulling the door open, she marched past the servants, not acknowledging their presence.

Downstairs, she ran into her mother waiting in the entrance hall.

"Where's father?" Aria asked.

"He's already left." Her mother answered in a soft, whispery voice, "Aria, you really must learn to behave. It would make life much easier."

Aria rolled her eyes but said nothing. She loved her mother, she really did, but she had long ago lost respect for her. It was like her mother didn't have her own opinions or voice, she could have been another servant in the house. Of course that was the way General Jirou wanted it. They walked in silence to the great hall where the duel was to take place; there was much more activity than usual for this early in the morning. Agni Kai's were of great importance to the citizens of the Fire Nation.

Approaching the hall, Aria could hear a great amount of noise coming from inside. It sounded as if the entire city was gathered there. Which it probably was, anyone of importance anyways, Aria reminded herself. The doors were swung open by liveried servants and they swept inside, Aria's heart seemed to be leaping out of her chest. Her eyes immediately found the huge stage where the duel would take place but it was unoccupied; Zuko was nowhere in sight. Her father was sitting midway down the stage with most of the other high ranking military leaders; they got the best seats in the house. Their eyes met, his expression was cold and he looked away, deeming her not worthy of his notice. Scowling, Aria slipped away from her mother and went to stand next to General Iroh. She had always liked him, he didn't seem to mind conversing with a fourteen year old and he always had something amusing to say. Today he seemed unusually grave but seeing as Zuko was his nephew, Aria understood. He gave her a brief smile and patted her on the shoulder; he knew she wasn't happy about the situation either.

All around her, people seemed to be excited, talking merrily. It was almost sickening how eagerly they watched the doors where the combatants would emerge. Aria crossed her arms, trying to control her emotions. On the other side of Iroh, Azula stood looking smug. Aria didn't understand how she could be so happy about what had happened in her family but refused to waste her breath talking to her. Aria felt pressure on her shoulders and someone said in her ear.

"Why so tense? Feeling bad for the _prince_?"

Aria spun around, displacing the hands that were gripping her shoulders. Captain Zhao stood behind her, an amused smirk on his face. He was easily a foot taller than her and broad shouldered. The corners of her lips jerked downwards in a frown and her eyebrows furrowed. She had never particularly liked Captain Zhao and since she had recently found out about his desire to marry her, a ploy to further his career no doubt; her opinion of him hadn't improved.

"What do you want?" Aria asked impatiently.

Captain Zhao raised his eyebrows at her attitude. This girl intrigued him; she was defiant even towards older, higher ranked people. He was counting on Zuko's disgrace today to make General Jirou reconsider his proposal. It would be a fun challenge to break her from her stubbornly head strong attitude. Relishing the thought, he grinned hugely.

"Tell me, what does your father think about Zuko now?" He countered her question with another smoothly.

Aria clenched her jaw but turned around and said nothing. She didn't want to risk getting into more trouble if her father heard about her being disrespectful to a Fire Navy Captain. A hush fell over the crowd; the door at the end of the hall had opened. Zuko entered first and walked to the end of the stage, facing the wall. He was wearing loose fitting pants with no shoes or shirt, draped over his shoulders was a red and gold silk cloth. He crouched on one knee, his hands steadying him on the ground. Firelord Ozai emerged from the open door next, dressed similarly to Zuko; he ascended the steps slowly and knelt down in the same position.

The room remained silent in the second before the two duelers turned to face each other. Aria felt as if she was going to burst with anxiety. She could hear the people around her but little seemed to matter outside of the two figures on the stage. A buzzing could be heard throughout the room; the crowd had not stayed silent for long. Aria tried to convince herself that Zuko would put up a good enough fight to stay in good standing and everything would be ok but nothing would sooth the feeling of dread inside of her. She caught a glimpse of Zuko's face; he seemed to be calm and confident and she didn't understand. How could anyone remain so calm when about to face the Firelord?

The signal for the beginning of the Agni Kai was sounded and both combatants straightened, the cloth falling from their shoulders. Firelord Ozai was the first to turn around and he raised his hands, ready to fight. The expression when Zuko turned and faced his father was utter and complete shock. _He didn't know. He didn't know he'd be facing his own father._ Aria thought in horror. Zuko overcame his shock and threw himself to the ground, prostrating himself to his father. Aria felt sick listening to Zuko beg with his father. Behind her, Zhao chuckled and she could have hit him. She willed Zuko to get up and fight; he may not win but it would be better for him than not fighting at all. Firelord Ozai advanced step by step, his fists clenched.

"Please father, I only had the Fire Nation's best interest at heart! I'm sorry I talked out of turn!" Zuko pleaded.

"You will fight for your honor!" Firelord Ozai demanded. "Rise and fight Prince Zuko!"

"I won't fight you!"

"You will learn respect and suffering will be your teacher." Ozai said threateningly. Aria saw what was coming and tried to look away; Zhao stepped forward and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her up against him. With his other hand he grabbed her chin and forced her to face the stage.

"Just watch. You'd do well to see what happens to those who are disrespectful" He whispered in her ear. She struggled briefly but when the Firelord's arm rose she froze, unable to tear her eyes away from Zuko. Fire erupted from his fist, encompassing half of Zuko's face. Aria shouted out but Zuko's screams drowned her out. Tears rolled down her face and she could not believe Azula, Zhao, and the rest of the crowd were still smiling. Iroh, alone, seemed to be upset.

"You have shown shameful weakness. You are banished from the Fire Nation! You will not return until you have regained your honor by capturing the avatar." Firelord Ozai said furiously.

Zuko lay, holding his face, on the floor of the stage, whimpering in pain. Forgetting who had ahold of her she turned, sobbing, and hid her face against Zhao's chest. He wrapped his arms around her with a smug look on his face. Aria couldn't believe what the Firelord had said. The avatar hadn't been seen in over 100 years! Zuko would never be able to return. She sobbed harder at the thought of his maimed face. Realizing who was holding her, she pushed away and turned, determined to gain the stage and help Zuko. Before she had taken two steps, General Iroh grabbed her arm. Aria turned and looked at him; his eyes were filled with sorrow.

"You will only make it worse for him and yourself." He warned pityingly. Aria turned and fled from the hall; she couldn't take it anymore. After just a couple minutes, the rest of the crowd followed suite and the hall emptied.

Several hours later, Aria was hovering outside of her father's study. Listening briefly at the door, she knocked softly. Hearing a permission to enter, she swung the door open and stepped inside. Her eyes were red and swollen and she was unusually subdued. General Jirou contemplated her silently before returning to the scroll he had been reading.

"Father, I wish to visit Prince Zuko." She declared, her voice sounding oddly diminished.

He continued to read without even a glance in her direction.

"That is impossible this evening. The Prince is allowed no visitors." He answered impassively.

"Do you know when I might see him?" She persisted.

"They say he will be able to visit in the morning." He said, "You may go see him then."

"Thank you father!" Aria said before backing out the way she had come. She was surprised at his willingness to let her see him but wasn't going to complain. Unsmiling, she went to her room and prepared for bed.

The next morning dawned bright and sunny; the sound of birds could be heard throughout the house. Aria sprang out of bed and dressed quickly; she needed to go and see if Zuko was alright. Bounding down the stairs, she almost ran into her father who was going to breakfast.

"Where are you going?" He demanded irritably.

"To see Zuko…" She answered slowly.

"The Prince is gone. He was sent away early this morning with General Iroh as his companion." He stated.

Aria's eyes widened in shock and she felt as if the ground had dropped out from under her. She hadn't said goodbye.

"What? You said I could…You said I…I could go and see him." Aria stammered, her mind reeling.

"I lied." General Jirou said mercilessly. He continued to walk to the breakfast room, leaving Aria alone in the dark hall. She sank to her knees and cried.


	5. Chapter 5

A jagged line of lightening raced across the sky, followed shortly after by a rumbling clap of thunder. The sky was a blanket of black, rolling clouds; the bright sunlight had been transformed to dusk. Rain ran down the window pane, distorting her vision of the city outside. The sound of the rain hitting the side of the house pounded in her ears, providing a soothing background noise. Sighing, she turned back to the parchment in front of her and once again attempted to complete it.

"Aria, dinner will be served in half an hour." The soft voice of a household servant issued from the hallway outside her door. Aria ignored her and continued with writing her report. Writing wasn't her strong point; she was often told by her professors that her papers lacked eloquence and flow. She didn't really care about how the Fire Nation was improving the life of other cultures anyways but if she wanted to keep up her good grades, she had to write about it. After writing for another fifteen minutes, she gave up on it and began dressing for dinner.

Downstairs, her parents were already sitting at the huge, glossy table. Halfway down the table she sat at her usual place setting, across from her mother. The meal was a silent affair; the clinking of cutlery against the fine china plates echoed throughout the room. She kept her eyes averted, not wanting to engage in conversation with her parents. Aria was pushing the last of her food around the plate without interest when her father addressed her.

"Tomorrow evening Commander Zhao will be dining with us. Dress appropriately." General Jirou stated, about to stand and retire to his room for the night.

"Commander?" Aria asked dully.

"He has been promoted." The General answered.

"Why is he coming?" Aria continued with her questioning.

"To discuss your marriage, we still have details to discuss." He said indifferently. Aria's head snapped up, her eyes wide.

"What?" She cried.

"You heard what I said." He snapped, standing up. "Don't be late."

"I'm engaged to Zuko!" Aria shouted, jumping to her feet.

"He was dishonored and banished, obviously not a suitable candidate you dim witted girl. Now go to your room before you regret this discussion." General Jirou growled.

"Make me." She hissed.

General Jirou narrowed his eyes dangerously. It had been almost two years since Zuko's banishment. In that time, Aria had acted the part of Fire Nation General's daughter almost perfectly; she kept her mouth shut, attended to her studies, and trained hard. He had not seen her temper flair up in a long time. He should have known her unruliness would not be tamed so easily.

"Listen and listen well because this is the last time I will say it. I am done tolerating your rebellious attitude. You will be married to Zhao by the end of the year. It is not your choice." He said coldly.

"I would rather die." She spit out and ran out of the room. She bounded up the stairs and into her room, slamming the door behind her. Throwing herself on her bed, she yelled in fury; smoke streamed out of her nose and her fists started burning through the top blanket. It had been a long time since she had lost control and she took a deep breath. Thunder still rumbled outside, reflecting her mood accurately. She stared up at the canopy covering her bed, cursing her father and Commander Zhao. 

Unable to sleep, she jumped out of bed and opened her window, contemplating the route down to the ground. There was a tall, full tree close to her window but she would have to take a leap to reach the closest branch. After considering the distance, she hoisted herself up on the window frame, took a deep breath and jumped, reaching for the branch. She felt the roughness of the branch briefly on her fingertips before her weight swung down and her fingers gave way; she hadn't had a good enough grip on the branch. Aria fell through the air attempting to grab the branches flying by her. Air whooshed out of her lungs when she collided with a branch lower down. It slowed her fall but she still hit the ground hard. Gasping for breath, she stared unseeingly up at the clear, star-strewn sky.

It seemed like she lay there forever with an aching body before an unnerving sound reached her. Footsteps could be heard approaching from the house and Aria stayed sprawled at the base of the tree attempting to quiet her ragged breathing. Unfortunately, a figure blocked the light coming from the street and cast a shadow over Aria. She stared up at one of her father's man servants who had a slight smirk on his face and sat up; ignoring the pain in her back.

"I think maybe, Miss Aria, you need to come into the house." He stated solemnly with a hint of amusement at her plight. Aria felt a tinge of embarrassment at how ridiculous she must have looked and she got stiffly to her feet. The man stepped back and gestured for her to precede him into the house, still smirking. The sounds of crickets resumed once more after being disturbed by her unplanned descent. Trying to hold on to some sort of dignity, she held her head high and marched ahead of him, not looking back. The effect was slightly ruined by her hobbling, stiff gait.

She flung the door open angrily; not bothering to be quiet; if her father's personal servant was outside watching for her, there was no chance her father was unaware and still sleeping. As predicted, at the sound of the door banging open General Jirou stepped into the huge entrance hall. There was a tense silence and General Jirou raised his hand, dismissing the servant in the background. Aria watched him warily, hardly daring to breath.

"Your will not disobey me again." He snarled menacingly, advancing towards her.

The morning came with a melody of birds and golden sunlight; the storm had passed but Aria did not move from her bed. Instead, she reached up and probed her cheek with the tips of her fingers gently; searching for bruises. She winced when her fingers ran across a tender spot and cursed. Last night General Jirou seemed to finally reach his breaking point with her and had hit her hard several times. When he had said he was done earlier, he was more serious than she could have guessed. His built physique had not made the blows any softer.

The rest of the day passed slowly for Aria. She roamed around her room, angry and frustrated with the turn of events. It grew warm and stifling from the hot summer day and she threw open her window; shooting the traitorous tree a dirty look. The red tones of the room seemed to add to the heat, creating the illusion of being in a giant furnace. The breeze blowing through the window made the room much more comfortable which was a relief to Aria seeing as she refused to enter the rest of the house. She was dreading dinner tonight and didn't want to see or talk to either of her parents.

Continuously checking the time, she began dressing when there was an hour left until the commencement of the dinner. Last night was the first time she had ever been scared of General Jirou and she didn't dare be late or look anything less than her best. She twisted her hair up into an elegant bun and carefully applied make up. It disgusted her that she was going through such an effort for a man she was being forced to marry but she felt she didn't have a choice. Her father's anger was fresh in her mind.

She sat straight and composed in her seat across from Commander Zhao, taking small, controlled bites of the meal in front of her, rarely taking part in the conversation. Her dress fit her perfectly and not a hair was out of place. Despite the apparent high class exterior, her true self was hardly concealed. Her golden eyes betrayed her; full of anger and willfulness, they oddly contrasted with the current image she was projecting. Her father had imposed the current manners on her but he could do nothing about the daggers of hate she was shooting at the man across from her.

Commander Zhao was fully aware of the ill will being wished upon him that night but it only amused him. There was still the shadow of a bruise only barely concealed by makeup on her cheek and he smiled faintly; once again imagining how enjoyable it would be to break her of her undesirable behavior. Though he fully looked forward to this perk, it was by no means the main reason he was pursuing her. The Fire Nation was at war with the rest of the world; to advance and become a high ranking military leader was to be at the top of society. That was his goal; by marrying General Jirou's daughter, he'd be on the fast track to the top.

The dinner continued with the conversation between Commander Zhao and General Jirou only. The only contribution Aria had to the discussion was faint frown lines that marred her otherwise serene face. She wanted so badly to explode; to overturn the whole table and scream at them all. She couldn't believe they were discussing this as if she had no free will but she kept her emotions reigned in and tried to think of other things to distract her. She reached her limit when she her father declared the date of the wedding to be a mere three months from then and she dropped her utensils with a clatter.

"May I be excused? I'm afraid I'm not feeling well" She managed to choke out. Commander Zhao looked up at her and grinned. He knew she was feeling fine, well at least physically. General Jirou looked at her scornfully, also guessing there was nothing wrong.

"I'm sure you're fine. We don't want to deprive our guest of your company now would we?" General Jirou said smoothly. When Aria did not resume eating, Commander Zhao spoke up.

"Maybe all you need is a little fresh air, should we take a turn around your magnificent garden?" He asked, flattering her mother whose pride and joy was her garden. Zhao could barely conceal his malicious grin; he had no actual desire to go out to the garden but he delighted in Aria's discomfort.

"I'll be fine, thank you for your concern." Aria answered stiffly.

"Go, I wouldn't want your sickness to overcome you." General Jirou said with a smirk.

Recognizing defeat, Aria rose gracefully to her feet. When Commander Zhao offered her his arm, she successfully hid her disdain and linked her arm with his. The pair remained silent until they got out into the garden. The paths were softly lit by low lanterns and the plants swayed slightly in the breeze. Crickets and other night creatures could be heard hiding out of sight. Above, the stars were large and seemingly close, uncovered by clouds. Aria closed herself off to her beautiful surroundings, refusing to be drawn in.

"So…Aria, how old are you again?" He asked carelessly, not really caring about the answer. Aria pulled away from him and looked him straight in the eye.

"I promise you that if you go through with this, you will regret it. If I'm going to be unhappy for the rest of my life I'm going to try my hardest to make you just as miserable." She threatened. Commander Zhao's laughter echoed throughout the garden, scaring a catowl out of a nearby tree.

"Oh the little girl has some fight in her," Zhao said, full of mirth, "I've always liked them a little feisty." He took a step closer and reached up to touch her face. Disgusted, she slapped her hand away and backed away from him. She turned around and headed back toward the house, shaking with anger.

"And I'm only sixteen!" She called back; disgusted that he'd be interested in someone so much younger than him.

"Expect to see me again soon Aria!" He retorted chuckling. She didn't answer and soon disappeared back into the house.


	6. Chapter 6

The wooden floor creaked almost imperceptibly under the weight of the passing shadow. Aside from these slight noises, there was a deep silence which only came in the small hours of the night; the city was sleeping. The figure continued down the hall and down the stairs by feel alone; she dared not use a light. Reaching the back door, she slid through it silently and out into the garden. She paused and listened intently for any sign that the household had awoken at the sound of her exit. Satisfied, she slunk toward the garden wall and, finding a foothold, hoisted herself to the top. Gravel crunched under her feet when she landed crouched in the alleyway.

Finally free of the house, Aria stood and smiled, pleased that she had gotten out unnoticed. Shouldering her pack once more, she headed in the direction of the docks where a fleet of Navy ships had arrived the previous day. The word was that they had only stopped to resupply and they would be leaving with the sunrise. Aria intended to be on one of those ships. Dressed in her military field outfit and with her hair done up in a high top knot standard of the Fire Nation military, she felt reasonably confident that she would be accepted; she had the added perk of being a bender. After walking for another fifteen minutes, she reached the docks and found a place to sit not far from the ships she was concerned with. She made sure she wasn't completely comfortable; she didn't want to sleep at the risk of being left. She closed her eyes, content to wait for the morning; hopefully she wouldn't be missed before they left port.

She had made the decision to leave shortly after the night Commander Zhao had dined with them; she would not allow other people to govern how she would live her life and who she would live it with. The thought of Commander Zhao being able to touch her whenever he wanted raised goose bumps on her arms and she held herself tightly, trying to block out the unpleasant thoughts. Slowly, despite her intentions, the background sound of the waves moving in and out lulled her to sleep and her negative thoughts seemed to be washed out with the tide.

"Oi! Out of the way boy!" A sailor spat at her, reaching for the crates stacked behind her. Aria jerked awake and jumped up quickly, frowning at being mistaken for a boy. The man rummaged through the nearest crate, bringing out a long, thick coil of rope. Hoisting it over his shoulder, he strode off without another glance at her.

"Sir, excuse me? Sir!" Aria cried, jogging after him.

"Budge off, I have no time for the likes of you. This ship needs off within the hour" He answered gruffly, unconcerned that she was in fact a girl.

"Please, I want to enlist. Can you tell me who the Commander of this ship is and where I can find him?" She begged.

"We're fully crewed; you're wasting your time." He answered, finally stopping and looking at her. He read the stubborn set to her scowl and sighed, "But if you're determined, the Commander took leave for the night and should be coming in anytime; wait for him over there. It's Commander Kon."

Aria thanked him and settled in to wait once again. The sun was barely clear of the horizon when the Commander walked into view. It was evident that he was the Commander by the sash wrapped around his torso, over his uniform. Aria jumped to her feet and moved to intercept him.

"Commander Kon." She said, bowing. The young, handsome officer squinted at her and only grunted in response. The way he was squinting in the light and the smell of alcohol coming off his clothes advertised to everyone how he had spent his night in the city. Aria couldn't blame him; after being at sea so long, she'd probably go boozing around town too.

"I wanted to speak with you about enlisting in your-" Aria said hurriedly, trying to keep up with his long strides.

"Listen, girl, I have a splitting headache and can't deal with you right now. I've got a lot to do before we cast off so why don't you just go on home?" He said, attempting to brush her off. Aria clenched her jaw and sped up, cutting him off.

"My parents kicked me out of the house, I didn't attend to my studies intensely enough. But I can assure you, you won't regret it. I'm a decent bender and a hard worker. I follow orders and I promise I'll pull my own weight…and I probably won't stop bothering you." She stated.

He considered her briefly before smiling faintly and continuing walking.

"You know, I like you kid. So probably against my better judgment, I'll let you on. Can you read maps?" He asked.

"Uh…yes of course." Aria lied. She was unwilling to admit to anything that would keep her from being allowed on the ship.

"Good. Go find Captain Le, he'll tell you what you need to do." He said approvingly. Aria saluted and they parted ways; the Commander to his quarters and Aria to the helmsman room.

Several hours later, the ship had left sight of land. Aria stood at the railing, staring out at the sea. She couldn't believe she had gotten away with it; it seemed impossible that she had gotten one over her father. The movement of the ship was unfamiliar to her and she felt as if she was just learning to walk. Captain Le had told her that until they got further out, she wouldn't be needed as an assistant to the navigator; she could do general chores and jobs needed to keep the ship running smoothly in the meantime.

After two weeks at sea, Aria was standing at a low table trying to hide her confusion. The map below her had a spider web of squiggly lines crossing all over the world. She had been told that some of the lines showed the movements of other Fire Nation military, others Earth Kingdom Battalions, and very few of Water Tribe attack movements. So far all she could see was a garbled mess of crisscrossing lines and the coordinate numbers were completely beyond her. Swallowing down her nervousness, she glanced up at the man waiting for the numbers and back down at the map. Giving up on complete accuracy, she estimated where she thought they might be and read off the coordinates.

Commander Kon, who was across the room, looked up sharply at this. He jumped to his feet and strode across the room to look at the map. Frowning, he checked their heading against the map before finally relaxing.

"You gave me a scare girly. According to you we were right in the path of those water tribe peasants who like to pretend to play navy. Not that we'd have any problems with them, it'd just be inconvenient…" He said merrily. "You've never read a map before have you?"

"Um…yea-no, no I haven't." Aria answered sheepishly.

"Eh, that's alright, we'll find something for you to do." He answered, still pleasant. In the short time Aria had been on the boat, she had really come to enjoy talking to Commander Kon. Although sometimes arrogant and short tempered, he was fun and the crew loved him. She had made a fast friend in him.


	7. Chapter 7

The atmosphere on the ship was one of carefree fun and enjoyment. Music twined through the air and the crew laughed and joked, enjoying their night free from their usual duties. They had anchored off the west shore of Whale Tail Island to await the arrival of the rest of the fleet. Off to the side, out of the way of the dancers a table had been set up where a game of cards was under way. Aria sat with her shoulders hunched over her hand of cards, eyeballing the players around her. Her forehead was wrinkled in concentration and she bit her bottom lip. The music was an unwelcome distraction; they were playing for money and she wanted to win badly. Although she had brought along a decent sized bag of coin, she knew it wouldn't last and looked for anyway to increase it.

Her eyes darted up when she detected movement from across the table. Commander Kon was rubbing his chin; something, she noticed, he tended to do every time he wasn't doing well. Smirking, she laid her hand down on the table and glanced up at him; challenging him to bring forth a better hand. The Commander threw his cards down in disgust and took a swig from the bottle in front of him.

"You know how to play that game entirely too well." He complained. Aria laughed and scooped her winnings into a pocket. "And now, to restore my honor, I demand a dance. I doubt you can best me at that."

"I don't dance, but don't worry; you have no slight against your honor." Aria said amused.

"I insist." He said, his voice slightly slurred. He grabbed her hand and lifted her to her feet. Aria gave up and followed him out onto the dance floor. Without a word, he put one of his hands on her waist and grabbed her hand with the other. Together they glided around the deck of the ship with Commander Kon's humor fending off the awkwardness. Aria hadn't laughed so much in a long time; Kon made continuous comments about the rest of the crew's dancing techniques, none of them being very nice. Under the influence of alcohol, the Commander loosened up and their difference in rank seemed to fade into the background.

"So…up to telling me your real story yet?" He asked charmingly. Aria stared up at him, momentarily floored.

"What are you talking about?" She answered, vying for time. As they were dancing, Kon was slowly maneuvering her away from the rest of the crew. They walked around the starboard side of the boat towards the back. Out of earshot of the rest of the crew, Commander Kon stopped and faced her, leaning casually against the side of the ship.

"Let's just say I'm good at reading people. I know you weren't telling the truth." He responded.

"Then why did you let me join?" Aria challenged.

"I was interested. I want to know why such a young, talented, and seemingly high bred girl would run off to join the Navy." He said, his eyes probing her face.

"Why does anyone join the Navy? To serve the Firelord and my country." She said elusively, not looking him in the eye.

"Oh, quit playing games and be honest. If I was planning on doing anything about it, don't you think I'd already have?" He pointed out. Aria took a deep breath and looked out over the water; she couldn't decide whether she should trust the charming young officer or not.

"Do you know of General Jirou?" Aria asked after a long silence.

"Of course, who doesn't? I've never served under him seeing as he's army but his name is well known in all circles of the military. What is your connection to him?" Commander Kon asked curiously. Aria turned and locked eyes with him, lifting her head defiantly.

"I'm his only daughter."

She watched his face carefully, waiting for his response. Surprise and confusion flickered across his face before settling once more on curiosity.

"Really? I can't say I was expecting that. So what made you want to leave?" He asked.

"It's a long story." Aria said, not wanting to explain everything.

"We've got time." He persisted. Commander Kon sat on the deck and mentioned for Aria to do the same. The sound of the crew's revelry reached Aria as she stood contemplating the pushy man. With a sigh, she settled down beside him and began telling her story. Commander Kon listened attentively without interrupting, frowning slightly. It was only now that the words were spilling out of her mouth that she realized she had needed someone to talk to. Aria ended her story and looked at Commander Kon expectantly, waiting for his input.

"Well…that's as good a reason as any I'd say. I've met Zhao, he respects no one and has a nasty temper; not someone I'd want to be saddled with either." He stated. The pair lapsed into a pensive silence, neither one willing to share what they were thinking.

The night seemed to grow unnaturally still when the ship lurched violently, throwing Aria onto Commander Kon. They both jumped up, looking around wildly. They were thrown into the railing when the ship lurched once again. Holding on desperately, Aria looked out at the ocean and gasped. Somehow several small skiffs had sailed up without detection and were shooting great chunks of rock at them; earth benders were among them. Commander Kon ran for the front of the boat, already barking orders.

Aria made to follow Commander Kon when her legs collapsed from under her; the earth benders had worked together to lift the ship into the air with sea floor rock, effectively stopping any escape attempt. Cursing, she bounded to her feet and ran around the cabin of the ship. What she saw made her despair.

The enemy had already boarded the ship and the entire crew was engaged heavy fighting. Aria fought back her panic and jumped into the fray; though she was considered a great bender, she had never been in a serious fight and it was obvious. They were badly outnumbered and one by one the crew was subdued. When Aria saw Commander Kon go down she growled in fury and increased her attacks. Many of the Earth Nation soldiers quailed before her, the blue flames danced around her, creating a daunting barrier around her. Sweat rolled down her face as she struggled to keep the enemy away; there was only a handful of the crew still fighting. She saw Commander Kon being shackled before a well-aimed blow hit her temple. She slumped to her hands and knees and watched Kon being hauled to his feet before her vision went blurry and she passed out.

The regular beat of animals walking and the harsh voice of a man slowly brought Aria out of her state of oblivion. She kept her eyes closed, buying herself time before she had to face the reality of what had happened; not to mention the fact that she was unwilling to aggravate her fierce headache any further. Relying on her other senses, she tried to make sense of what was going on around her. She was riding on the back of an animal with her wrists bound, leaning on the back of what she guessed was an Earth Kingdom soldier. Her heart sunk and she wondered how many of the rest of the crew had been taken.

Aria opened her eyes and the light seemed to stab into her brain; groaning quietly, she sat up straight and squinted blearily around her. She sat astride an ostrich-horse whose uneven, rough gait jarred her with every step. The Earth Kingdom really needed to find better transportation. Around her, rode probably fifteen other Earth Kingdom soldiers; six of them also carried Fire Nation captives. She gasped when she saw Commander Kon; though he was sitting straight and alert, he had a heavily bruised face.

"The brats awake." The man sitting in front of her informed the apparent leader.

"Keep a close eye on her; she injured a few of our men pretty badly." He growled in response. Commander Kon looked at her with pride at this information and winked. Aria was never one for keeping her opinions to herself and she wasn't about to now.

"You look horrible." She stated, looking at Kon's face.

"You don't look so hot yourself." He returned, smiling grimly.

"Be quiet. Both of you." One of the Earth Kingdom soldiers ordered.

"Where are you taking us?" Aria asked, ignoring him.

"We've got ships docked on the other side of the island. From there we'll be taking you to BaSingSe to be tried for war crimes." He answered. Aria was surprised at the ease of obtaining the information; as it were, the commanding officer glared at him.

"Ah, I see." Kon said slowly, "Well I have absolutely no desire to rot in an Earth Kingdom prison."

He swung his leg high over the ostrich-horse, catching the man in the head. Aria followed his lead without thought and threw the chain connecting her wrists around her guard's neck. Pulling back, she made the man gasp for air and he slid off the side of their mount. She slid into the saddle of the animal and grabbed the reins. Praying it was the same as riding a Komodo Rhino, she kicked it hard and had to grab the saddle as it leaped forward. She looked back and jerked on the reins hard, stopping the ostrich-horse. Behind her, Commander Kon had been subdued again. He saw her stop and yelled after her.

"Go! Just go!" When he saw her continue to hesitate, he shouted out once more, "Aria, as your commanding officer, I'm ordering you to run!"

Aria gave Commander Kon a last, horrified look before urging her mount forward again. Half of the Earth Kingdom battalion gave pursuit while the others remained behind to deal with the Commander. Risking a glance behind her, Aria's heart sank; the soldiers knew how to ride these animals and were coaxing a lot more speed out of them. They were closing fast. 


	8. Chapter 8

The sky bison flew low over the sea, two of his riders reclining in the saddle while the third sat at the base of his neck. The salty breeze coming off the ocean was chill in their faces and made them glad of their heavy winter clothing. They had been flying for a few hours in search of an island and the young water tribe boy was watching the island to the northwest fly by, trying to pass the time. They were searching There was not much to see and he was on the verge of turning to talk to his sister when a strange looking animal burst out of the trees at a fast pace.

"Hey guys, look!" He cried, gesturing at the animal. The boy's companions glanced over at the animal as directed. The strange bird horse thing had a rider and the boy with the arrow tattoos yelled in disgust; the rider was mercilessly digging her heels into its sides, urging it even faster. His outrage quickly dispersed when they saw the reason for the ruthless treatment; behind her about half a dozen men mounted on the horse birds emerged from the woods, hot in pursuit. The girl rider continuously twisted around to check on their progress with a look of despair; she didn't have much time before they would catch her.

"We have to help her!" The smallest boy of the trio said, yanking on the reins of the sky bison. The bison grunted and changed direction.

"Uh, Aang? Maybe you didn't notice, she's wearing a Fire Nation uniform?" The water tribe boy said sarcastically.

"We have to do something! I'm the Avatar, that's what I'm supposed to do. Save people and… stuff." The other boy answered adamantly.

"Aang's right, that's not a fair fight." The girl said, defending him. Without further discussion, they swept from the sky towards the pursued girl.

Aria bent low over the neck of the Ostrich-horse, urging it to go faster with everything she had; her hands, feet, and voice. She was entirely focused on losing the soldiers and had not yet thought about how she was going to get off the island. The sound of the soldiers yelling and their Ostrich-horses pounding feet seemed to get closer with every second. The mount beneath her bawled in alarm and planted its feet in the ground, bringing it to a dead stop. Aria was thrown over its head and hit the ground hard, landing on her back. From this vantage point, it was easy for her to see what had caused the animal to baulk. A giant six legged…_thing_…flew not ten feet above her towards her captors.

Aria sat up and turned to keep it in her sight. Landing on its front legs, the beast pivoted around and slammed its huge beaver like tail on the ground, knocking the men and their mounts to the ground. Aria jumped to feet, unsure if she should run or not. Before her mind was made up, the beast had stopped next to her and for the first time she noticed it had riders. Her mouth was hanging open and she quickly snapped it shut when she realized how simpleminded it made her look.

"What are you waiting for? Get on!" A boy shouted at her; water tribe by the look of his clothing. Aria looked over to where the Earth Kingdom soldiers were getting to their feet and climbed quickly albeit clumsily up the side of the hairy animal. As soon as she cleared the saddle they were off into the air once more. Aria hung over the side of the saddle, watching the soldiers disappear behind her and soon they were out of range of any retaliation.

Sighing in relief, Aria turned to face her rescuers and received a shock. The water tribe boy had some sort of crude club pointed at her and the girl, also water tribe by the looks of it, had her hand at her hip, prepared to bend the water inside her pouch. Although alarmed by those two, her attention was focused on the boy with arrow tattoos, watching her curiously.

"You're the avatar!" She gasped. Her mind was reeling; there he was, in the flesh, the key to Zuko's honor. With the avatar, Zuko could come home! She carefully hid her emotions and tore her gaze away from the boy who held the promise of her future happiness to face the threats in front of her.

"That's me! I'm Aang and this is Sokka and Katara." Aang said eagerly, the only relaxed one there, "What's your name?"

"Aang! She's the enemy! Don't tell her anything!" Sokka complained. Aria frowned, thinking fast. If she wanted to be able to stay with them she'd have to convince them of her trustworthiness.

"Enemy? Wha-Oh! You mean this?" She asked, gesturing at her uniform. "No you've got it wrong, I'm not Fire Nation." She said the last two words with pretended disgust.

"Then why are you wearing that?" Sokka accused.

"Let me explain, it's a long story." Aria said. Katara relaxed and after a short pause Sokka laid down his club and crossed his arms, waiting for her to begin. For the second time in the past few hours, Aria found herself telling her story although this time it wasn't even remotely truthful.

"I'm from a small town in the Earth Kingdom and when I was old enough I joined the army against my parents' wishes. I was in for probably a year when I was summoned to a meeting with my superior. Because of certain skills I possess, they had a specific job in mind for me. Espionage. They wanted me to go undercover and pass on information about the Fire Nation. I've been at it for a month now until yesterday when our ship was attacked. I had lost my paper work a long time ago and couldn't prove I wasn't Fire Nation. I was forced to run, I didn't want to fight my own people." Aria lied. Mentally she kicked herself; what a dumb story, she'd be lucky if they didn't toss her into the ocean right there and then.

Aria was apparently a better liar than she thought; looks of pity and amazement were etched across all of their faces. Their stances relaxed and Katara opened the pouch at her side, pouring some water on a rag.

"Here, let me clean your face up." She said gently. Confused, Aria felt the side of her face; sticky, slightly congealed blood covered the right side of her face. When she inspected her hand, the bright scarlet color on her fingertips shocked her; she had never before been injured seriously and it bothered her in a way she couldn't understand. There seemed to be something utterly wrong in being covered in her own blood. She swallowed heavily, fighting back her queasiness, and allowed the girl named Katara to wipe her face. After sitting in silence for another hour, Aria couldn't contain her questions in her head any longer.

"So where are you guys headed?" Aria asked casually.

"We're supposed to be going to the North Pole so Aang and I can learn water bending but we've been wandering around for hours and Aang won't tell us what he's looking for." Katara complained.

"I told you, it's a surprise." Aang reminded her.

Aria frowned; she couldn't believe this little boy was what the Firelord was so obsessed about. Hoping to hear word of Zuko, she opened her mouth to continue her questioning.

"Have you had any trouble with the Fire Nat-" She began.

"There it is! You guys are going to love this." Aang cried in delight.

Aria watched the approaching island, completely nonplussed at his excitement. By the looks on Sokka and Katara's faces, they didn't understand it either. Reining in his buffalo, Aang angled for the island; pure boyish excitement coated his face. Aria leaned back again in the saddle and contemplated her new companions. It surprised her how quickly they had accepted her into their group and it made her feel off balanced. She wasn't used to dealing with people who trusted so quickly. They touched down on the island and Aang bounced off the sky bison, urging them to follow. Aria emerged from her thoughts and, watching how Sokka and Katara got down, carefully followed.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry for the wait, my computer has had a few issues...Thank you so much to EAMCP, you've been great.**

Aria stood apart from the other three, bemused with the conversation taking place. Aang insisted the great flying bison, apparently called Appa, was tired but Sokka felt they should continue on. Neither seemed ready to give up. Privately Aria agreed with Sokka but was unwilling to add her input when she was such a new member of the group. If they were planning on getting to the North Pole anytime soon they shouldn't be stopping. From looking at the maps on the ship, she learned the North Pole was still a great distance. The conversation, however, was short lived because Aang had spotted the reason for the stop.

"Elephant Koi!" He shouted loudly, making the other three jump. They all turned to the ocean and witnessed what Aang was so eager about. Jumping high into the air were giant orange koi fish the size of houses. Aria couldn't believe the size of them and was stunned when Aang made it known that he wanted to ride them. This foolish boy was what the Fire Nation was worried about? He was likely to get himself killed before the Fire Nation could reach him. Aang jumped into the water and in no time at all was astride the giant fish, clearly enjoying himself. Aria leaned against a tree with her arms crossed, resigned to waiting for the boy. Not too long ago she would have relished the challenge of riding the elephant koi, she thought ruefully, too many things have changed.

Aria stepped forward, squinting against the glare of the sun on the water. An elephant koi made to leap out of the water but before it cleared the surface was pulled back by an unseen predator. Laughing insanely, Aang sailed atop the back of the Elephant Koi, oblivious to any danger. A huge, dark rippling spot on the water was all that could be seen of the unknown animal. As she watched, another of the overly large fish was pulled under water, not to be seen again. _It has to be huge to be pulling them under_, Aria thought in alarm. She ran to the edge of the water, intent on warning Aang.

"There's something in the water!" Sokka shouted. Apparently Aria wasn't the only one to notice. The three on shore started waving frantically and yelling, trying to get Aang's attention. It was all in vain. Aang tumbled forward when the elephant koi he was riding was pulled backward. He hit the water hard and came up spitting out water. Behind him, the towering fin of whatever had been preying on the koi emerged from the water. It dwarfed the elephant koi by a huge margin and Aria started yelling for Aang to swim for the shore. Aang cried in alarm and ran on the water for shore, barely out pacing the swimming beast. Finally reaching land, Aang collided with Sokka and the fin disappeared once again under the water.

"What was that thing?" Aang gasped, out of breath.

"Let's not stick around to find out. Time to hit the road." Sokka suggested.

A flicker of movement caught Aria's eye and she glanced sharply up. She caught a glimpse of green silk and painted faces before she was knocked to the ground. Her eyes were blindfolded and arms bound; it happened in the time it took to blink an eye. Around her, she could hear the sound of the others being slammed to the ground and she fought hard to keep from giving in to panic. This was the second time in days she had been captured by enemy forces and it shook her to know she had been ambushed so easily. Small hands hauled her to her feet roughly and she was pushed forward. She continuously stumbled over what she could only assume were stones and other imperfections on the ground but she was unable to proceed cautiously; her captors pushed forward relentlessly.

In her blindfolded state, Aria's other senses seemed to improve and she concentrated on what she could hear. Any information she could gather could be useful. She heard the rustling of silk and the steady tread of footsteps but nothing to help make sense of her plight. The path beneath her feet became smooth and level and she assumed they had reached an outpost or town. Shortly after, she was slammed hard against and tied to what felt like an extremely solid post. It was hard to allow this to happen; every instinct in her body was telling her to fire bend and escape but she couldn't risk it. She didn't want to ruin her chances of staying with the avatar.

"You three have some explaining to do."

Aria stopped her fidgeting and cocked her head, listening hard. The deep male voice came from her left.

"And if you don't answer our questions, we're throwing you back to the Unagi."

A high girl's voice also came from the left and Aria turned her head in the direction of the voices. It would be good to know just how many people they were facing but no other voices spoke up.

"Show yourselves cowards!" Sokka yelled. Bright light seared into Aria's pupils when the blindfold was abruptly yanked off. She blinked several times before she was able to focus on the people standing in front of her. Girls in garish costumes are what first demanded her attention. From the green silk she could tell these were the people who had ambushed them. Their faces were covered in bright make up and in their hands were gleaming golden fans. In front of them stood an old, bearded man but Aria quickly discarded him as non-threatening. She was tied to the right of Aang and couldn't see Sokka.

"Who are you? Where are the men who ambushed us?" Sokka demanded. Aria grimaced; she knew it was the girls who had attacked them and that Sokka had probably just deeply offended them.

"There were no men, we ambushed you. Now tell us, who are you and what are you doing here?" One of the girls in costume asked fiercely.

"Wait a second, there's no way a bunch of girls ambushed us." Sokka said unbelievably. Aria shook her head, with Sokka's big mouth there was no way they were getting out of there alive.

"A bunch of girls huh? The Unagi will eat well tonight!" The same girl who spoke before grabbed Sokka's tunic, mere inches from his face.

"Wait! My brother is just an idiot sometimes." Katara interrupted frantically. Aria wished Katara would have let him get hit; he needed it to silence his idiocy.

"It's my fault; I wanted to ride the elephant koi." Aang confessed remorsefully.

How do we know you're not Fire Nation Spies? The girl is even dressed as a Fire Nation soldier." The old man said, pointing at Aria. Aria scowled, there was no way it'd be her fault they all got killed.

"I'm not Fire Nation. It's a long story but I promise you I'm from a village in the Earth Kingdom." Aria answered tiredly. She might as well of not spoken at all; the man's look of disbelief was all she needed to know they were in trouble.

"Kyoshi has stayed out of the war so far and we intend to remain that way." The old man said stubbornly.

"This island is named after Kyoshi? I know Kyoshi!" Aang exclaimed excitedly.

"Ha how could you possibly know her? Avatar Kyoshi was born here 400 years ago; she's been dead for centuries." The old man said scornfully.

"I know her because I'm the Avatar." Aang admitted. The crowd around them gaped at them in disbelief.

"That's impossible; the last Avatar was an airbender who disappeared over a hundred years ago." The painted girl said.

"Throw the imposters to the Unagi." The old man ordered, turning away. Aria's eyes widened; they were going to have to fight their way out and likely as not the avatar would just leave her to these people when they found out she was a fire bender.

"Aang, do some air bending." Katara muttered. In a rush of air that buffeted everyone around him, Aang flew up high into the air and landed nimbly on his feet. All around them people's jaws dropped.

"It's true, you are the avatar." The old man said in awe.

* * *

><p>An hour later, they were seated around a low table piled high with food. Aria picked at her food, not really interested in eating. Listening to the avatar and Katara prattle on about these simple island people bored her and she toned them out. She looked up when Sokka stormed out and contemplated following him; she'd love to show those girls that in a fair fight they'd be so far out matched it'd almost be funny.<p>

For the remainder of the day, Aria tagged along with Katara. The market place was filled with vendors advertising their wares. Bright, delicious looking, fruit glistened under the awnings of stands and dead fish stared blankly up at passerby. Aria wrinkled her nose when they passed them; fish never looked appetizing before it was cooked. Katara pushed through crowds of people, filling up a basket she was carrying with her. The girls occasionally glimpsed Aang with a posse of girls in tow but after attaining the supplies they needed they went back to the house without speaking to him. Aria sat and watched Katara bending water in a basin. It fascinated her; she had never seen water actually bended. A tendril of water rose from the basin, twisting and coiling through the air sinuously. Intense concentration was on Katara's face. The door banged open and Aang sauntered in, without his fan club. Aria listened intently while Aang and Katara fought; she swore this group fought more than anyone she'd ever met. After Aang left, Aria looked at Katara quizzically.

"So…are you really going to let him ride the Unagi?" She asked.

"He can do what he wants." Katara answered stubbornly. Her face had a stubborn set to it only briefly before it fell. "Well no, I guess not. We better go see if he's ok."

* * *

><p>"Katara hurry! It's coming back!" Aria screamed. Katara waded through the water, desperately trying to reach the prone form of Aang. She managed to grab ahold of him when the Unagi surfaced, sending them flying backward. They landed out of sight and Aria vaulted over the rocks separating her from them. The Unagi shot jets of water out of its mouth over and over again, frustrated about its lost prey. They ducked down, trying to avoid the jets but were quickly soaked. When the onslaught stopped, Aria sat up to investigate why the Unagi had fled and received a shock.<p>

"Zuko." She breathed.

"What?" Katara cried. She scrambled up and looked out over the rocks. Zuko and the soldiers in his crew were mounted on Komodo Rhinos and about to disembark from the ship that was ran ashore. Katara dropped to ground, taking cover behind the rocks.

"I don't think he saw-Aria, what are you doing? Get down!" Katara hissed urgently.

Aria stood frozen in place, transfixed with the group standing only yards away. The lead Komodo Rhino was what commanded her attention. Zuko sat stiff and upright in the saddle, barking out orders. It had been over two years since she saw him last and though she was overjoyed at the sight of him, there was something wrong. Most noticeably was the bright red scar covering almost the entire right side of his face but there was something deeper. Gone was the happy, laughing boy she had known before; his face now bore the look of someone who had been through misery and had grown up fast. A sharp tugging on her shirt caught her attention; Katara was trying to pull her down out of sight. Aria snapped her head back to Zuko; she didn't know what to do. She wanted desperately to run to him, to show him where the unconscious avatar was, and to finally be able to go home and marry him. She made to take a step forward but stopped and glanced back down at the avatar; he had helped her, had saved her from rotting in an Earth Kingdom prison. Zuko or avatar? While Aria stood immobile, oblivious to Katara's urgings to hide, Zuko and his troop had moved past them and up the path. She had lost her chance. Aria shook her head, and turned to Katara.

"Come on, we have to go." She choked out.

"What was that about?" Katara demanded. Water slithered from Aang's mouth; Katara had used bending to clear his lungs of it.

Aria ignored her and ran for the town. When the three reached the main road, complete destruction met their eyes. The buildings were on fire and the rhinos ran rampant through the streets, taking down anything in their way. Zuko had done this? Aria asked herself silently. Pitiful cries filled the air and Aria ran to help the source of them; children were out in the street in danger from the soldiers and the fire. She looked up in time to see Zuko being smashed through a door and she made to run to him but Katara grabbed her arm.

"Aria, we have to leave. It's the only way to save these people." She said. "Come on Aang, let's go."

Aria only half-heartedly climbed into Appa's saddle and stared back, waiting for Zuko to emerge from the building. She sighed in relief when she saw him on the road and ordering pursuit of the avatar. As a last favor to the people of Kyoshi, Aang jumped into the water. Just moments later, the Unagi surfaced with Aang on top. Pulling fiercely back on the unagi's antennae, Aang forced it to jet water over the town of Kyoshi; effectively putting out the fires still burning.

With everyone settled in the saddle, they flew on northward with Aria silent as the grave. She couldn't understand why she had not made her presence known to Zuko. What sentimental feeling had so betrayed her when she had it in her power to restore life back to normal?


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey everybody, I'm so sorry I took so long updating. Summer is my busiest time as crazy as that sounds. I truly hope the length and quality of this chapter makes up for the time it took me getting it up. Let me know! **

Acre after acre of rolling grasslands and densely wooded forests passed underneath the flying bison. Birds erupted from the trees in angry clouds when Appa's giant shadow passed their nests hidden in the branches. The landscape was occasionally divided by meandering streams where wildlife gathered to slake their thirst. It was a beautiful land but after staring at it for over two days, Aria was utterly bored. She pushed the hair out of her face and turned her back on the scenery below her. Aang lounged up by Appa's head teasing Momo while Katara and Sokka sat bickering; their usual pastime.

Aria observed the two water tribe kids seated across from her. Her eyes lingered on the fur covered hems and tassels and couldn't believe that was what passed for fashion with their people. Perhaps, she thought, it was all they could afford; they were, after all, called peasants were they not? Her lip curled slightly in disdain; she couldn't believe the Fire Nation had yet failed to conquer such a simple people. _They saved your life, they can't be that bad_ a treacherous voice whispered in the back of her head. Aria shook her head, troubled by her thoughts. Her upbringings had taught her to pity and detest the other nations for their savagery and ignorance but never did any of her superiors mention the kindness and pride the 'peasants' possessed. She quickly pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind, feeling a traitor to her country.

"What's the town we're stopping at, I've forgotten?" Aria asked carelessly.

"Omashu!" Aang answered enthusiastically. "It's not a town, it's a huge city!"

"O-ma-shu." Aria said slowly, sounding out the unfamiliar Earth Kingdom name.

"Haven't you heard of Omashu before?" Sokka asked quizzically, "I figured everyone from the Earth Kingdom would have heard of it…"

"Yes, I have." Aria said irritably. "Go put your dress back on, it's more becoming." Katara and Aang stifled their laughter while Sokka sputtered with indignation.

"It's a warriors uniform!" Sokka said defensively.

"For girls." Aria stated flatly. Sokka crossed his arms tightly and mumbled incoherently. Rolling her eyes, Aria busied herself fixing her windblown hair. She'd need to be more careful in the future; her ignorance of the Earth Kingdom was a shortcoming sure to get her in trouble.

An hour later, Appa touched down at the bottom of a slight hill. The group collectively exhaled a sigh of relief; it seemed like they had been flying forever. Aria shuffled her feet in the snow, wishing it would disappear; snow was just so uncomfortable and not to mention inconvenient. She missed the warm climate of the Fire Nation. The two Water Tribe kids and Aria followed Aang up the hill; the sight that was presented to them made them stop in amazement.

"I present to you the Earth Kingdom city of Omashu!" Aang exclaimed grandly, "I used to come here to visit my friend Bumy."

Behind him rose a towering city cone like in shape, making it easy to defend. Aria chuckled in amusement at the amazed faces of Katara and Sokka. She had no idea what their town was like but apparently not this.

"We don't have cities like this in the South Pole." Katara stated.

"They have buildings that don't melt!" Sokka said, awestruck.

Aria laughed at Sokka's comment and asked,

"What did you just say?"

"What? We live in tents…or build things out of ice." Sokka said defensively. Aria stared at him horrorstruck.

"How do you not freeze to death? You people are crazy." Aria hated being cold and she couldn't imagine living as those of the Water Tribe's lived. She shivered at the thought of camping out in a tent in the middle of a snowy waste land and marched forward, ahead of the others. Down the rocky path she went, Momo gamboling around her feet. Leaves freshly revealed from under melted snow fluttered weakly in a slight breeze. When the others caught up with her Aria laughed heartily.

"What are you doing?" Aria asked, amused. Beside her walked Aang with Appa's hair covering his head; he walked hunched over and heavily leaning on his staff. It looked as if an old man had walked in from the country side.

"What are you looking at little whippersnapper? I have a mind to bend you over and paddle your backside. I ain't getting any younger, let's go." Aang snapped in a hoarse voice. Aria smiled incredulously and looked at Katara questioningly.

"We figured he should be disguised. The less people who knows he's the avatar the better." She answered, shrugging apologetically. Aria chuckled and followed after the disguised boy. Aria felt a warm surge of affection for him; the longer she was around him the more he grew on her. She had always been an only child and she thought this might be what having a playful little brother would be like. _What is wrong with me today?_ She asked herself angrily. There was no way she could begin to care for the avatar and the two water tribe kids; it would ruin everything.

Aria got distinctly uncomfortable when the guard held a bolder over Aang's head when questioning him. If he so chose, the guard could smash Aang and there would be nothing anyone could do about it. She hated feeling helpless and she shifted from foot to foot, trying to hold in her angst. She visibly relaxed when Aang ran out from under the boulder; at least that danger was passed. Aang's old man guise passed without flaw; the seemingly stern guard admitted them with only a stern reproach to Sokka for not carrying his 'grandfathers' bag.

A deep grating sound filled the air and the walkway vibrated; the kids stared in amazement at the earth bending marvel being presented to them. Three layers of apparently solid rock wall split down the middle and rumbled smoothly back, revealing a huge opening into the city. Aria moved forward numbly with the others; she had had no idea earth benders had so much power. The solid rock gates slammed shut behind them with a bang but they didn't notice so engulfed with the sight in front of them they were. Tier after tier rose to the sky, crisscrossed by smooth stone chutes; people hustled to and fro, busy with their errands for the day. Aang lost no time at all in explaining the reason for their stopping here. The stone chutes supposed to be for mail delivery were given a whole new meaning in Aang's eyes.

Aria stared with wide eyes down the almost vertical drop. The four of them were wedged into one of the delivery sledges teetering at the top of a stone chute, about to go over the edge. Adrenaline pulsed through Aria's body and an insane grin spread across her face. People scurrying down below on the ground seemed to be the size of a pinhead and Aria was eager to feel the wind in her face. With a whoop, Aang pushed off and the sledge plummeted, gaining speed every moment. Aria laughed hysterically as she held on so tightly her knuckles turned white. Behind her, she could hear Katara and Sokka screaming; whether out of terror or jubilation she didn't know. Aria's hair broke free from the ribbon binding it and Sokka spluttered as he tried to spit it out of his mouth.

Out of the corner of her eye, Aria saw a transport sledge on course to merge with their track. It took seconds for her to process the danger and she did a double take. The sledge on the adjacent chute was carrying spears pointed forward. Gasping in alarm, Aria clutched at Aang, trying to get his attention. The menacing hum of the cart behind them seemed to get louder and Aria, along with the two water tribe kids, ducked down as low as possible. With what he clearly thought was a stroke of brilliance, Aang rocked the sledge; knocking them off the chute. The sledge free fell through the air, spinning crazily. With a jolt that almost threw Aria out of the sledge, they landed back on track and Aang sent them speeding on their way with a blast of air.

For the next few minutes, they made a path of destruction and chaos throughout the city. They had gained so much speed that not even walls could stop them. Flashes of shocked and panicked faces passed by Aria before being whipped away. With a final bang, they busted through a wall and fell to the ground. They were all thrown from the cart when they collided with the ground and Aria stumbled from the wreckage; apparently they had hit a produce stand. She was stopped, however, from going too far by several city guards who, by the looks on their faces, were none too happy they had just destroyed part of the city.

Aria's knees protested the long contact with the marble floor of the hall. With the end of the adrenaline rush came the stiffness of limbs and soreness of the bruises she had attained from their wild ride through the city. Sokka, Katara, and Aang knelt to the right of her; all trying to look like innocent children. In front of them rose a colossal throne raised on a dais. The occupant of the throne regarded them severely and Aria stared back defiantly. He was a bent old man in robes of sweeping green. His hat had great sweeping horns that moved out and back. Aria wrinkled her nose; the King had to be a hundred years old, his face and hands were covered in liver spots and white hair stuck out in odd tufts from under his hat.

Abandoning her scrutiny of the King, Aria sneered at the little man accusing them of ruining his cabbage stand. Over his tirade, one of the guards that apprehended them read off a list of their crimes. The King stared impassively at the four kids kneeling in front of him and Aria stared back, trying to read any expression at all that may pass across his face. With the end of the accusations came complete silence; the kids waited with bated breath.

"Throw them-" The King started. The four looked up sharply with wide eyes. "A feast."

An hour later, after being allowed to wash up, a thoroughly confused Aria sat at a long table piled high with all kinds of dishes. Beside her, the amount of food Sokka was putting in his mouth was rather revolting. Aria was surprised he could breathe past it all. She ate the food on her plate without enthusiasm; compared to the Fire Nation food rich with spices, Earth Kingdom food tended to taste somewhat bland to her. During the course of the meal, Aria sat quietly, choosing to listen rather than participate in the conversation. One learned more by listening than talking. She couldn't believe this mad old man ruled the city; his bizarre behavior put Aria on the edge. She had never dealt with someone who acted so utterly insane and therefore had no idea what to expect.

Aria's eyes followed the chicken leg as it sailed through the air towards Aang. The King had thrown it at Aang, much to Aria's bemusement. Without thinking, Aang leaned back and caught the leg of meat with a spinning sphere of air. The room became completely still as everyone focused their attention on Aang.

"There's an airbender in our presence! And not just any airbender, the avatar!" The King exclaimed.

The group of four quickly stood and backed up toward the door. Aria listened to Aang's frail attempts at wheedling their way out of the predicament and hoped it would be enough. It wasn't. The guards closed off their escape route and the King stood.

"Tomorrow the avatar will face three deadly challenges, but for now guards will take you to your chamber."

Without further ado, they were led to a chamber furnished with four beds. After the guards left, the children wasted no time in searching for a way to escape. It was to no avail, Aria threw herself down on one of the beds, soon followed by her companions. They might as well sleep so they'd be well rested for the coming trials. It felt like she had only been sleeping for minutes when Aria was awoken and ushered quickly from the room. Behind her she could hear the sounds of Katara and Sokka being hustled along. They traversed a series of spacious corridors before the guards stopped at the door to the throne room they had been in the previous day. Aria glanced behind her and noticed Katara and Sokka had not been admitted into the room; in fact, the guards had stopped outside the doorway too. She stepped forward to the King sitting at the end of the room and the door swung shut behind her.

The King motioned for her to sit on a small chair that had been placed in front of the throne and she sank warily into it. Beside the King sat a small table with a full tea service on top. The King sat tea in hand, and regarded Aria silently. Aria, determined not to show any anxiety, sat quietly and waited to be addressed. After a few minutes of sitting quietly, the King finally spoke.

"I was wondering, could you please reheat this for me? It's cold." The King asked.

"Sure…" Aria answered in confusion. She stood up and poured him a new cup from the still steaming teapot.

"Ah so you're not so easily tricked as our young airbender friend." The King chuckled.

"Sir?" Aria asked.

"You are a fire bender."

"No! I have no bending, I'm just a normal Earth Kingdom-" Aria began.

"You think I haven't ruled this long without learning my people? You are no Earth Kingdom citizen. Golden catlike eyes, pale skin, no, you are of the Fire Nation. Care for a tart?" The King cackled, offering a plate of colorful pastries. Aria ignored the proffered plate and gaped at him, bewildered. She quickly composed herself and narrowed her eyes.

"If you think I'm a fire bender then why am I not under arrest?" She asked suspiciously.

"Oh I am in no danger from you." He snorted, "What I really want to know is if _Aang_ is in any danger fromyou."

"Me? You're making him go through three 'deadly' tests today. If he's in danger from anyone right now it's you." Aria accused boldly, "Just what exactly does the avatar mean to you?"

The King cackled insanely.

"It seems we are at an impasse. I cannot tell you who the avatar is to me; he will need to find that out on his own." He said thoughtfully, "If I thought you meant harm to Aang I would push the matter but for now I'll staunch my curiosity. Now-."

Abruptly Aria seemed to change tact and said "What makes you think I'm not dangerous to Aang?"

"I have lived a very long time and I know better than probably even you know that you will not betray the avatar." He answered her certainly.

"You know nothing about me. I _will_ do what I set out to do. I will! I have to!" Aria choked out almost desperately.

"You seem to be trying to convince yourself more than you're trying to convince me." The King observed. "Are you sure about yourself? Maybe you should reevaluate your loyalties."

Aria opened her mouth once as if to argue again but closed it without a word. Instead, she looked down at her hands clasped in her lap; looking thoroughly upset and confused. What did that mad old bugger know anyways? She couldn't betray Zuko but, finally being honest with herself, she could no longer turn Aang in with a good conscious either. The King didn't give Aria long to reflect on her life decisions; he raised his hands and clapped them twice. Guards entered the room and both Aria and The King stood.

"Now I think it's time we begin. You will go join your friends and we'll see how Aang makes out with my deadly challenges." He said.

Aria stood and followed the guards out. They didn't go far; they led Aria to an adjoining room where Sokka and Katara were waiting. Aria took a cursory glance at the two but turned her back to them without a word; she was still upset and unwilling to be drawn into conversation. They didn't have long to wait and in just a few minutes the guards resumed their stance at the side of each kid and the door opened. Blue, crystal like rings were quickly forced on their fingers while the King informed them these rings would continue to grow until their bodies were incased in it.

At this information, Aria seized the ring and attempted to rip it off, but to no avail. Aang better be able to pass the tests because there was no way she was going to die that way. The group lost no time in getting started and Aria soon found herself in a large underground cavern dominated by a colossal waterfall and covered in stalactites and stalagmites. The crystal had already crept up Aria's arm and she silently willed Aang to hurry. Aang's task was to retrieve the key hanging in the waterfall and, surprisingly, after only a couple of failed attempts, Aang succeeded.

During the next task, Aria watched with bated breath as Aang was pursued around an arena by a large beast. She ignored the crystal growing further and further up her body while beside her the King cackled insanely. Aang was supposed to be retrieving the King's pet flopsy and it was only after Aang realized the animal chasing him was the King's pet that the test ended. Aria watched in bemusement as the now happy animal crawled up the side of the arena and collapsed on its back, allowing the King to rub its belly.

By the time the group had gathered on the balcony of a large enclosed arena, the crystal had almost completely covered the three's bodies. The last test was to be a duel; Aang against the opponent of his choice. Aria almost laughed out loud when Aang picked the old king; the boy was clever. Her thoughts soon changed however, when the King threw off his robe. Underneath, the man was extremely muscular and it was soon found out that he was a master earth bender. The duel commenced and Aang tried hard to avoid the boulders being hurled at him. Aria was amazed at the power of the old man below her; the skill with which he launched attack after attack at Aang was impressive. Never before had Aria given any thought to being beat by a bender from another nation but watching the display before her, she was forced to consider the fact that she would have a hard time getting the upper hand with this man. The last test came to an end with a draw between the King and Aang. Aria was unable to hear what passed between the two but her eyes widened when the King fell backwards and disappeared into the ground.

In another moment, the King reappeared on the balcony and Aang leapt up to join them.

"Now, you must answer one question and I will let your friends free." The King stated.

"That's not fair!" Aang cried indignantly.

"Oh but what is the point of tests if you don't learn anything from them?" The King answered logically. "So, tell me, what is my name?"

Aang tried to object again but the King cut across him.

"You better hurry. From the looks of things, your friends don't have much time." And with that, he walked away, leaving the kids to ponder his question.

"Ok, do you have any reason to know him Aang?" Aria asked, wincing as the crystal crept up part of her face.

"No…I don't think so." Aang answered confusedly.

"I've got it!" Sokka yelled triumphantly, "It's Rocky! Because he bends rocks."

Aria frowned at him and sighed in exasperation. "Sokka, shut up please."

"Aang, think. What did you learn from the challenges?" Katara asked.

"Well…I had to think differently than I usually would." Aang said thoughtfully. "I've got it!"

They made their way back to the throne room as best they could with the crystal covering their bodies. The King was waiting for them and looked at Aang expectantly.

"Like you told me before, I have to open my mind to the possibilities." Aang laughed, running to hug the old man. "I've missed you Bumy!"

"I've missed you Aang. You haven't aged at all." King Bumy answered.

"Um…excuse me, can you help us out?" Sokka complained loudly.

King Bumy did a simple earth bending move and the crystal shattered, scattering around the room.

"So, why couldn't you just tell us who you are?" Aria asked quizzically.

"Well for one, I just like messing with people. But there was a reason. Aang, in your quest to bring down the Firelord, you're going to have to learn to think like a mad genius." King Bumy cackled.

Over the next couple of days, the kids explored the city and restocked on supplies for their journey. King Bumy proved to be a kid at heart by riding the mail service with them. During their brief stay, Aria remained quietly in the background, unsure of where her life was leading her.


	11. Chapter 11

Sweat rolled down Aria's face and neck as she flowed from the horse stance to ever more complicated fire bending stances. Her limbs ached with fatigue; it had been too long since she had had the chance to practice her bending and her body was telling her so. A black ring of singed and withered grass surrounded Aria where before she had arrived had grown lush foliage. Fire trailed from her hands and feet, consuming what little vegetation there was left in the clearing. It was only after Aria had thoroughly exhausted herself that she threw herself down on the ground, smiling hugely. Though her muscles were sore from lack of use, she was pleased that she was still able to perform flawlessly. Cheerfully she made plans to sneak off more often.

As her heavy breathing subsided, Aria stretched her arms above her head, content to remain there for a little while longer. A deep rumbling issued from Aria's stomach and absently, she wondered if Sokka had found any food yet. Hopefully he'd bring back enough for the whole group; she certainly hadn't found any. Most likely she had burnt anything edible into unrecognizable charred lumps. She knew she needed to get back to the camp but the sun beating down into the clearing felt so pleasurable on her face she couldn't bring herself to move. A loud snap echoed around the clearing and Aria sat up, looking around alertly. Sokka, making his way into the scorched clearing, had stepped on a small stick. Aria jumped to her feet and watched him warily; fully aware of the situation. Sokka's eyes lingered on Aria's sweaty countenance and the torched ground surrounding them. Aria felt as if she could see Sokka's brain working, forming conclusions.

"Aria, what's going on here?" He asked uncertainly.

"I don't know. There must be fire benders around. We should head back and tell Aang." Aria answered blandly. Sokka's eyes widened in surprise at the news Aria's flimsy lie brought.

"Firebenders, here? Oh man, they always have to ruin things! Every time I think we find a somewhat safe spot, the Fire Nation has to pop their ugly mugs up!" Sokka complained loudly.

"Ugly?" Aria asked a little indignantly. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she breathed deeply, trying to remain calm and unbothered. She was so stupid to be so careless. At the sound of her voice, Sokka's eyes focused again on Aria and a slight frown crossed his features.

"Why are you all sweaty?" He asked.

"I was hurrying to get back; I didn't think it was safe to be off by ourselves if there are fire benders around." Aria explained.

"Ah ok. Well did you find anything to eat?" Sokka asked.

"No, any berries I could find were spoiled by animals already." Aria said, raising her hands and shrugging her shoulders.

"Your sleeve is all burnt." Sokka observed, "Did you actually run into a soldier?"

"No, I must have done it at the camp fire last night. What is this, an interrogation? Do you have a problem?" Aria said irritably. When Aria was forced into a corner, her temper was instantly ignited and she came out swinging. Silently she berated herself for singeing her sleeve; she hadn't made a mistake like that in years.

They both fell silent, eyeing each other from across the clearing. Sokka stared suspiciously at Aria and Aria stared back with her most bland expression. Though her face remained passive, Aria's eyes were burning with intensity and her body was taut with tension. She didn't know what she was going to do if Sokka pieced together the information. The two faced each other across the clearing, eyes locked. After a minute of uncertainty on Sokka's part, he broke the silence.

"No need to get angry, I was just asking." Sokka said apologetically.

"I'm sorry, I'm just tired." Aria responded, blessing Sokka's incredible ignorance and gullibility, "Let's get back."

Pushing aside bushes and branches, the pair made their way back to the clearing where Aang had landed Appa. Birds chattered noisily in the branches overhead, disturbing their otherwise peaceful surroundings. Soon Aang, Katara, and Appa came into view and Aria surged forward, eager to be away from Sokka. She cast herself down on a large, flat boulder, unwilling to try the brown lumps Sokka was trying to pass off as nuts. If only the girls from the Royal Fire Nation Academy could see her now, stuck in the middle of the woods, scrounging around for food, and sleeping on the ground; they'd have a good laugh. Aria chuckled to herself; she had come from one of the richest, most influential families from the Fire Nation and now she was reduced to this. Strangely, she didn't really miss the big mansion she had lived in.

Aria had resigned herself to another hungry night when a loud blast jarred her off the rock and caused Momo to shriek in alarm. She scrambled to her feet and stared around, listening intently. The others had also jumped to their feet and were looking around confusedly.

"What-?" Aria asked no one in particular.

BAM. The sound repeated itself and Aria quickly zeroed in on the direction it was coming from.

"It's this way, let's go!" Aang cried, taking off out of the clearing.

"Shouldn't we run away from huge booms?" Sokka pointed out, following after Aang.

Throwing her long legs out in ground eating strides, Aria swiftly caught up with Sokka and had to rein herself in in order to keep from passing him. In only a matter of minutes, they reached a rocky ravine where the deep booming noise seemed to be coming from. Aria crouched down behind a gigantic felled tree, motioning the others to follow. About 100 yards ahead, a boy who looked to be around Aria's age was bending boulders; throwing them into the sides of the ravine.

"An earth bender." Katara breathed.

"We should go meet him." Aang said brightly.

"He looks dangerous, approach with caution." Sokka said, true to his pessimistic attitude.

His warning, however, fell on deaf ears; Katara stood up and hurried toward the boy.

"Hi! I'm Katara and-"

When the boy spotted Katara he cast aside the boulder he was bending and ran. Frowning in confusion, Aria stood up and vaulted over the tree. Without a backwards glance, the boy raised his arms and caused an avalanche of boulders behind him, effectively stopping them from following.

"Nice to meet you!" Aang yelled after him.

"What was that about? I just wanted to meet him." Katara said forlornly.

"Well good news if you guys want to eat something…edible tonight." Aria said brightly.

"What's that?" Sokka asked, looking grumpy at her lack of appreciation for his nuts.

"If he's out here there has to be a village of some sort around here and where there's a village there's a market and what can you find in a market? Food." Aria reasoned logically.

"So what, we don't have any money." Sokka complained.

"Sokka, are you ever positive about anything?" Aria asked impatiently. "I've got money so stop complaining." She had had enough of Sokka for the day. Sometimes it was like being around Mai again with how negative he could get.

Locating the village was an easy task when employing Appa to fly over the forest. Within an hour they were meandering down the main road of the village where Aang managed to procure a silly looking hat. The village was full of neat little cottages and shops with green tiled roofs. Some of the looks of dislike and mistrust Aria was getting made her rethink not buying an outfit more traditional to the Earth Kingdom. Aria's stomach again gave a loud rumble and she veered for the closest food stand, forgetting for the moment her discomfort. The sight of so many unfamiliar foods, however, made Aria pause with a look of utter consternation.

"Oh wow, what is this Aria?" Katara asked, pointing at a steaming pot of…something.

"Um, I do not know." Aria answered.

"Ok well I trust you so just buy what you like best." Aang stated.

"What makes you think I like any of this?" Aria said, frowning.

"Isn't it Earth Kingdom food?" Sokka asked.

"Of course it is! The best in these parts." The shop keeper butted in. "What will it be?"

Before Aria decided, Katara had run across the street and into a small shop. Shrugging apologetically at the shop keeper, Aria followed after her. Aria, Sokka, and Aang filed into the shop after Katara and found what had caught her attention so abruptly; the boy who had been earth bending in the ravine was standing next to an older woman, tying an apron around himself.

"You're the boy we saw earth bending in the woods!" Aang exclaimed happily.

In a flurry, the boy and what they could only assume was his mother slammed the door and windows shut; looking panicked. Aria couldn't understand the reaction; she vaguely connected the weird reactions with earth bending but couldn't imagine what was wrong with it.

"They saw you doing what?" The woman all but shrieked.

"Mother, they're crazy! Look at how they're dressed!" The boy cried indignantly.

Aria couldn't help but smile; she had had a similar thought when she first saw the other three.

"You know how dangerous that is! You know what would happen if _they_ caught you bending." His mother chastised him angrily.

A sharp rap on the door interrupted the heated conversation.

"Open up!" A harsh voice commanded.

"Fire Nation!" Haru's mother hissed.

Without a second thought, Aria ducked behind the low counter. She wouldn't risk being recognized by anyone who may know her through her father. It wouldn't be the first time people knew her when she didn't know them. From behind the counter, Aria listened to the conversation intently.

"What do you want? I've already paid you this week." Haru's mother asked.

"Ah but the tax has doubled. And you wouldn't want to have an accident, now would you? Fire can sometimes be so hard to control." The soldier threatened. Aria snorted at this; maybe for him it's hard to control. With money in hand, the soldier retreated, slamming the door behind him. With the soldiers gone, Aria stood up and came around the counter.

"Nice guy." Sokka said sarcastically, "How long have they been here?"

"Five years." The woman answered wearily, "Firelord Ozai uses our coal mines to fuel his ships."

"They're thugs. They steal from us and everyone here is too cowardly to do anything about it." Haru yelled.

"Quiet Haru." His mother snapped, "Don't talk like that"

"But Haru is an earth bender. He can help." Katara said.

"Earth bending is forbidden. It has cost this village nothing but misery. He must never use his abilities." The woman argued.

"How can you say that? Haru has a gift. Asking him not to earth bend is like asking me not to water bend. It's part of who we are." Katara cried indignantly. Though Aria understood the truth in Katara's words, she privately thought she'd do better to listen to this woman. Katara had not yet learned the full extent of the force she was opposing; the Fire Nation was not to be trifled with.

"You don't understand." The woman said scornfully.

"I understand that Haru could help you fight back. What can the Fire Nation do to you that they haven't done already?" Katara persisted.

"They could take Haru away, like they took his father." The woman cried.

Aria saw the look of painful sorrow cross Haru's face before he carefully composed himself again and she felt a slight pang of guilt. _Stop being stupid, you didn't do anything_, she thought angrily. _This is a war; such practices are necessary to win and if these people don't wish to be annihilated then perhaps they should figure that out._ Aria sighed. She knew that was flimsy reasoning; being prohibited by law from bending was atrocious, even in a war.

That night as they settled down to sleep in Haru's old barn, Aria's thoughts turned to Commander Kon. The fate of Commander Kon had weighed heavily on her; they had become good friends aboard the Navy ship. Although Katara, Sokka, and Aang had taught her that not everybody from the other Nations were ignorant peasants, Aria couldn't banish from her mind the horror stories of Earth Kingdom prisons. Rotten food, brutal beatings, and near freezing conditions were all Earth Kingdom prisoners had to look forward to. Aria's jaw took on a stubborn set; she would not let Commander Kon rot in prison. Before this war was over, she promised herself, she would find him and set him free.

Unable to sleep, Aria was plagued with another difficult problem. How could she reconcile her feelings for Zuko and Kon with her feelings for Aang? Neither Zuko nor Kon were bad at heart yet in a heartbeat she knew they'd take Aang captive. She also knew it was Aang's destiny to end the war. How could she support the demise of the people she loved? Obviously there were people like her father and Zhao who needed to be taken down but what of those who were guilty only of loyalty to their country? Aria had no answer readily available. It was the early hours of the morning before Aria finally drifted off into a fitful sleep.

Aria was jolted awake entirely too soon by Katara's frantic cries. Running her hand through her tousled hair, Aria listened intently as Katara told the group of the old man Haru had saved in the mines using earth bending and the consequences of doing so. Haru had been arrested and taken away.

"Slow down, Katara, when did this happen? Sokka interrupted.

"Haru's mother said they took him at midnight." Katara answered quickly.

"It's too late to track him, he's long gone." Sokka said grimly.

"You can track?" Aria asked, impressed.

"We don't need to track him; the Fire Nation is going to take me right to Haru." Katara said determinedly, ignoring Aria's distracted comment.

"Why would they do that?" Aang asked.

"They're going to arrest me for Earth Bending." Katara responded.

Half an hour later, Aria discovered what she had in mind. She hoped for Katara's sake the soldiers that found her were duller than the average person. Waiting behind the boulder with Aang, Aria stretched her legs out in front of her. She had no part to play in the coming drama and so remained out of sight. It was apparent the when soldiers arrived; Aria could hear Sokka and Katara arguing. With the key phrase "earth bending power" Aria glanced sharply at Aang. A butterfly was fluttering around Aang's head, thoroughly distracting him.

"Aang!" Aria whispered fiercely.

"Huh? Oh! Right." Aang stood up and blew a gust of wind into the mining shaft vent below him. In a matter of seconds, the air was forced up the vent in front of Katara where the kids had earlier placed a boulder of considerable size. With her arms up in the air, the boulder rising into the air made it appear that Katara was earth bending.

"The lemur is earth bending!" One of the Fire Nation soldiers exclaimed. Aria smacked her hand to her face in exasperation; it was embarrassing to admit they were her countrymen.

"No you idiot, it's the girl!" Sokka yelled.

As Katara was led away, Aria and Aang came out from their hiding place and watched her go.

"Nothing to it now but to follow." Aria said in a falsely cheery voice.

Katara was taken through the town and in the direction of the docks; evidentially she'd be taken by ship. It was an hour before the destination came into view for the kids following on Appa. A colossal steel rig rose to the sky with great chimney stacks that belched clouds of smoke into the air. Towering walls blocked any view of the prisoners on board although without walls the location in the middle of the sea would have served as an effective barrier on its own.

"I gave her twelve hours. We can't risk hanging around any longer." Sokka said.

"Let's not get any closer. We saw what we needed and if we get closer we may be seen." Aria warned, "We need to find somewhere to wait out twelve hours."

They quickly retreated to an exposed sand bar and settled in to wait. The time passed too slowly for Aria; she didn't want the idle time to sit and think of her problems. Instead, she questioned Aang and Sokka about the Air Nomads and the Water Tribe. It was interesting to hear their stories which differed greatly from what Aria had been taught.

Evening came with the arrival of stars and a drop in temperature. They moved quickly and were soon ready to depart for the prison rig. The smoke was visible long before the actual rig and Aang urged Appa to a faster pace. Another few minutes passed before they pulled along the rig. Aang disappeared onto the rig to fetch Katara while Sokka and Aria waited nervously. If any of the guards in the sentry towers glanced their way the game was up. Aang was gone only for a short time before he reappeared, Katara in tow. With a nimble jump, Aang was back aboard Appa and waiting only for Katara to be off.

"You're twelve hours are up. Where's Haru? We've got to get out of here." Sokka whispered urgently

"I can't." Katara stated.

"Katara, what's wrong?" Aang asked.

"We don't have much time, there are guards everywhere. Get on." Sokka demanded.

"I'm not leaving. I can't give up on these people." Katara said stubbornly.

"What do you mean you're not leaving?" Sokka asked.

"We can't abandon these people, there has to be a way to help them." Katara repeated obstinately.

"Maybe she's right. What do you say Sokka, Aria?" Aang said.

"I say you're both crazy. Last chance to go." Sokka said.

"I say either way you decide you need to do it now. We're lucky the guards haven't spotted Appa already." Aria answered.

"No. I'm not leaving." Katara stated simply.

"I hate when you get this way. Come on we better hide." Sokka said resignedly.

Aang sent Appa away and the kids soon found themselves crouched behind storage crates on the far end of the rig. The night passed alarmingly fast as they brainstormed for a plan.

"We don't have much time. We need a plan now." Sokka said.

"I wish I could make a hurricane." Aang burst out randomly. At the weird looks from the others he explained himself further. "That way the warden would run away and we could steal his keys!"

"I'm sure he wouldn't run away. They're probably prepared for that being in the middle of the ocean." Aria pointed out logically.

"I'm just throwing ideas out there." Aang said defensively.

"I tried talking the earth benders into fighting but they wouldn't listen. If only there was a way to help them help themselves." Katara said dejectedly.

"They would need some sort of rock or earth. Something they could bend." Sokka said thoughtfully.

"But this entire place is made of metal." Katara protested.

"No, it's not. Look at the smoke, its coal smoke. Coal is just a form of earth." Aria said.

As the sky slowly lightened, their plan took form and they went their separate ways. They had to get it set up under the cover of darkness.

"It's almost dawn we're running out of time. Are you sure this is going to work?" Katara asked uncertainly.

"It should. These vents reminded of what we did back at the village. Aang shuts every other vent but this one. When he air bends, the coal has nowhere to go but here. The earth benders will have their coal." Sokka answered confidently.

"Well let's hope he gets it done soon, they know we're here." Aria said. No sooner were the words out of her mouth when a shout was heard.

"There's the intruder!" In a matter of minutes they were surrounded with guards. Curious prisoners looked on from a safe distance.

"Stay back I'm warning you." Sokka yelled in a show of bravado.

"Katara, stop you can't win this fight." A man, who Aria later learned was Haru's father, shouted.

"Listen to him well child; you're one mistake away from dying where you stand." The warden said.

A deep rumbling vibrated the ground and the crowd looked around in confusion for the source. With a loud clatter, the vent popped out of the ground, lifted into the air by a mass of coal. The crowd stumbled backward, trying to get out of range. When the massive stream of coal settled on the ground, Aang flew up from the vent; covered head to toe in heavy black dust.

"This is your chance earth benders. Take your fate in your own hands!" Katara shouted out at the surrounding prisoners.

Aria stared around at the surrounding people, looking for any inclination to fight but they looked dejectedly away. She couldn't believe it; these people were being offered a chance for their freedom and they wouldn't reach out their hands and grab it. They deserve prison she thought scornfully. The warden's voice broke in on her hateful thoughts and she turned to listen.

"You foolish girl you think a few inspirational words and some coal could change these people? Look at these blank, hopeless faces. Their spirits were broken a long time ago. Oh, but you still believe in them? How sweet, they're a waste of your energy little girl, you failed."

The warden turned his back and walked away, sure they would not fight back. A small piece of coal whizzed by Aria's ear and hit the warden on the back of the head. Within seconds a full scale fight had broken out and Aria ducked out of the way. It was frustrating not being to help but she couldn't very well start fire bending and she had no idea how to wield any weapons. Who would learn how to fight with weapons when they can bend? Aria watched the progress of the fight closely; she knew there was probably something she could help with but she was hesitant to do so. In her mind, if she took an active role in this battle she'd be cementing the fact that she had turned her back on her country, something she had never intended to do.

With a deep breath, Aria picked up a discarded pike and ran to help the earth benders. With it she took out the calf muscles of several of the soldiers, bringing them down to the ground; she couldn't bring herself to kill them. The flash of a blue dress caught Aria's eye and she brought it into focus. With her back turned to face an injured earth bender, Katara did not notice the guard behind her; ready to blast her with a jet of fire. Aria jumped to her feet and sprinted for her.

"Katara! Katara, turn around!" Aria screamed as she ran. As soon as she was close enough, Aria lunged at Katara, knocking her off her feet. She had barely been on time. Lying on top of Katara, shielding her, Aria could feel the heat of the fire like a solid thing. Hopefully it didn't get any lower; Aria was in no position to bend. When she again felt cool air, Aria sprang to her feet and helped Katara up.

"That was a close call, thanks." Katara said, out of breath. They surveyed the scene around them; Haru's father and a few of the other benders were taking care of the warden and the last of his men.

"I guess there's no going back now." Aria mumbled.

"Back where?" Katara asked curiously.

"Oh it's nothing." Aria said walking away. There was no more riding the fence; she would help the avatar.

Several hours later, after saying their goodbyes, they parted company. The earth benders back to their villages and the kids resuming their journey to the North Pole.


	12. Chapter 12

"I'm sorry about your necklace Katara." Aria said quietly, not opening her eyes. They were soaring through cottony clouds and bright sunlight aboard Appa, continuing on toward the North Pole.

"It was all I had left from my mother." Katara answered sadly, "I can't believe I lost it."

"I understand that it's important to you," Aria said, "but you'll always remember and love your mother; with or without the necklace. Who knows? Maybe it'll turn up again."

Aria's eyes snapped open when Katara hugged her and a slight frown crossed her face. Awkwardly, she pat Katara on the back, waiting for the hug to end. Aria felt rotten to know that Katara felt so comfortable around her; if she knew the truth, Katara would be more likely to throw her off Appa. The moment passed soon enough and Aria closed her eyes again, enjoying the hot sun.

"Those clouds look so soft don't they? Like you could just jump down and land in a big cottony heap." Katara said dreamily.

"Why don't you give it a try?" Sokka asked sarcastically.

"You're hilarious." Katara said.

"I'll try it!" Aang butt in. Grabbing his staff, he leaped off the side of Appa and quickly fell out of sight among the clouds. Aria sat up and looked wide eyed over the side of Appa with Sokka and Katara. He had disappeared beneath the cloud cover and Aria fervently hoped he had his staff with him. The three jumped in surprise when Aang reappeared, landing back in the saddle. He was soaking wet and without thinking, used a blast of warm air to dry himself, soaking the others in the process.

"Sorry!" Aang said, drying them with a blast of warm air and leaving their hair standing on end. Aria pulled her fingers through her hair, attempting to smooth it back down. "Turns out, clouds are made mostly of water."

Aria had just managed to retie her hair back with a ribbon when Katara looked out on the horizon with a concerned expression clouding her features.

"Hey what's that?"

The group sat up straighter, straining to see what Katara had already spotted. On the horizon, growing steadily larger was a long stripe of black surrounded by lush, green forest. Aria's heart sank; she recognized the sight immediately. Only a fire would do that to such a large swatch of forest. She remained silent and leaned back against the saddle, staring fixedly at a worn patch in Sokka's pack; she wouldn't be the first one to call it for what it was.

"It's like a scar…" Sokka stated quietly. Without a word, Aang pulled sharply on the reins and Appa angled downward toward the blackened, dead forest.

Appa landed heavily on the ground, raising a huge cloud of ash that sent the group into a coughing fit. Without a word, they jumped down and surveyed the area. It stretched for miles in every direction; black, burnt stumps sticking up out of the ash were all that was left of the once grand trees.

"Listen, it's so quiet…" Sokka observed. "There's no life anywhere."

The silence pervading the area seemed ominous; there was no life here. No birds singing, nor the rustle of leaves; everything was dead. Even the group's voices seemed oddly diminished; the thick carpet of ash seemed to absorb all sound. It was a depressive place and Aria longed to jump on Appa and fly away, nothing good could come from lingering. Absorbed as she was in her black mood, Aria started when Sokka's loud, complaining voice broke through the muted silence.

"Fire Nation!" Sokka yelled. He was bent down, examining footprints in the ash. Aria easily could identify the tracks of the rhinos the Fire Nation used as mounts. "Those evil savages make me sick! They have no respect for-"

Aria frowned at him. They wear fur and he's calling them savages? Aria's indignation soon faded however at the sight of the destruction around her, only evil savages would do such a thing. She kicked at the ash beneath her feet, wondering what had been in this part of the forest for the Fire Nation to burn it down, if there even was a reason. Briefly she had considered the possibility of a natural caused forest fire but Sokka had ruined that. The war had always been some distant event that seemed to have little effect on her life and what had once been entertaining stories at home were now all too real to her. When it came down to it, she supposed she wasn't shocked but it was unsettling to see the brutality from the other Nations point of view. She shook her head at the memory of her father and her professors teaching her that the Fire Nation was bettering the rest of the world's lives. All she had found since she left home was misery and hate towards them. For the first time in her life, she was truly ashamed to be from the Fire Nation.

"Shhh!" Katara chastised him.

"What, I'm not allowed to be angry?" Sokka replied in a hushed voice.

Silently Katara pointed at Aang. He had walked several paces away and was kneeled in the ash, his head hung. His shoulders were hunched and though Aria couldn't see his face, it was obvious he was distraught.

"Why would anyone do this?" Aang asked forlornly. He scooped up a handful of ash and let it fall through his fingers. "How could I let this happen?"

"Aang, you didn't let this happen. It has nothing to do with you." Katara said consolingly.

"Yes it does. It's the avatar's job to protect nature, but I don't know how to do my job." Aang answered.

"That's why we're going to the North Pole, to find you a teacher." Katara persisted.

Aria understood Aang's feeling of guilt. Her countrymen had burnt down a huge swath of forest and though she had not been involved in anyway, she was filled with guilt. She knew Katara would not be able to logic her way through to Aang because there was nothing really logical about it. It had nothing to do with either of them yet Aang felt guilty for shirking his duty and Aria felt guilty because her Nation had committed the crime.

"Yeah, a water bending teacher!" Aang said, looking up at Katara, "But there's no one who can teach me how to be the avatar…Monk Giatso said that Avatar Roku would help me."

"The avatar before you? He died over a hundred years ago, how are you supposed to talk to him?" Sokka pointed out logically.

"I don't know." Aang admitted dejectedly.

When Aria lowered herself to the ground a small cloud of ash rose into the air and settled on her pants. She knew she'd be filthy but couldn't bring herself to care. Hesitantly, she scooted herself closer to Aang and put her arm around him. She felt as if she should say something but nothing came to mind so instead settled for hugging him tighter. They sat there together like that for what seemed a long time, listening to the silence. It was odd how silence could be so loud, it had its own sound.

"Hey Aang, ready to be cheered up?" Katara asked in a cheerful voice.

"No…" Aang answered. Aria turned to look at Katara just in time. Katara's arm came up and Aria ducked. An acorn sailed through the air and smacked Aang on the head.

"Ow! How's that supposed to cheer me up?" Aang asked indignantly.

"Cheered me up!" Sokka said, chortling. Aria smirked when another acorn found its target on Sokka's forehead. "Ow…yeah, I deserved that…"

"These acorns are everywhere Aang. That means the forest will grow back! Every one of these will be a tall oak tree one day. And all the birds and animals that lived here will grow back." Katara said, placing one in Aang's hand. Aria couldn't help but smile; Katara was wiser than she had thought.

"Thanks Katara." Aang said in a happier tone.

Aria jumped to her feet, staring at an old man with a cane approaching. Assessing the situation, she doubted he could be very dangerous but remained alert all the same. Around the same time Katara and Sokka also noticed him.

"Hey, who are you?" Sokka demanded.

"When I saw the flying bison, I thought it was impossible, but…those markings…are you the avatar child?" The old man croaked. When Aang nodded, the man continued, "My village desperately needs your help!"

The man seemed unwilling to discuss what had been plaguing his village so, without much information, the group found themselves following him to his village. Soon enough they passed beyond the edge of the decimated forest and were among lush green foliage and tall trees. The return of the birdsong was a relief to all of them and their spirits rose fractionally. Aria couldn't help but be reminded of the turtleducks in the Firelord's pond and she smiled sadly to herself; hopefully they'd come through this mess unharmed.

They reached the village shortly before sunset. In normal times, the cottages would have been arranged in neat rows with wide, spacious roads. As it were, several of them were wrecked beyond repair. Rubble was strewn haphazardly around the ruined cottages and already nature was starting to reclaim them with tufts of grass growing up between boards. The old man seemed indifferent to the wreckage and led them past it and straight up the main road to a large, communal building proceeded by a large porch. Without delay, they entered the building where it seemed the entire village had gathered.

"This young man is the avatar!" The man announced grandly. The people in the building all turned toward them, eager to see Aang. Aria hung back close to the door; she was content with only listening. As far as she was concerned, the less attention she drew to herself the better.

"So the rumors of your return are true." A man stepped forward. His voice was soft but he stood tall and proud. "It is the greatest honor of a lifetime to be in your presence." He bowed graciously.

"Nice to meet you too." Aang answered politely, "So is there something I can help you with?"

"I'm not sure…" The man said, seeming oddly reluctant.

"Our village is in crisis!" The old man cried, losing his patience. "He's our only hope!"

The younger man closed his eyes for a moment, as if pondering what the old man had said and finally nodded his consent. The old man turned back to Aang.

"For the last few days, at sunset, a spirit monster comes and attacks our village. He is Habai, the black and white spirit."

"Why is it attacking you?" Sokka asked seriously.

"We do not know!" The younger man said desperately, "But each of the last three nights, he has abducted one of our own. We are especially fearful because the Winter Solstice draws near."

"What happens then?" Katara asked.

The younger man walked distractedly to the doorway, ignoring Aria, and peered out before answering.

"As the solstice approaches, the line between the natural world and the spirit world grows closer and closer, until the line between them is blurred completely." The old man explained.

"Habai is already causing devastation and destruction, once the solstice is here; there is no telling what will happen." The other man said, at his wits end.

"So...what do you want me to do exactly?" Aang asked nervously.

"Who better to resolve a crisis between our world and the spirit world than the avatar himself?" The old man exclaimed, looking at Aang fondly. "You are the great bridge between man and spirit!"

"Right…that's me…" Aang said.

When Katara pulled Aang aside for a private conversation, Aria walked outside and surveyed the village from the porch. She had been receiving a number of suspicious stares from the people of the village and she could only assume it was because of her Fire Nation attire. Regardless to say, she had been uncomfortable and sacrificed hearing the rest of the conversation for a few minutes alone.

By the time Aria reentered the building it had been decided Aang would confront Habai and everybody shut themselves in the large building, watching anxiously as Aang walked uncertainly down the main road. Aria leaned on the windowsill, watching intently. She was given a wide berth by the village people as if she were at, any moment, going to turn on them and attack. It was ridiculous, the Fire Nation rarely turned to covert operations; if she meant harm she would have marched in and burnt the whole village down. She supposed they couldn't get past the stigma of the black and red uniforms.

"Helloo? Spirit?" Aang shouted out. Aria shook her head; he had no idea what to do and would probably get hurt. "Can you hear me? This is the avatar speaking, I'm here to try to help stuff!"

"This isn't right." Sokka muttered next to Aria. "We can't sit here and cower while Aang waits for some monster to show up."

"If anyone can save us, the avatar can." The old man persisted.

Aria whipped around and glared at him. Her nerves were stretched and the old man only tested her patience further.

"I'm sorry; maybe you haven't noticed that the avatar is a twelve year old boy who doesn't have a clue what he's doing!" Aria fumed. The group around them gave her scandalized looks and the atmosphere seemed to grow colder. Scowling, she turned back to the window and watched Aang's progress.

"He still shouldn't have to do this alone." Sokka complained. Nothing more was said but the light was quickly fading and Aria could feel the tension deepening. There was an air of expectancy and the people were getting restless.

"The sun is set, where are you Habai?" Aang yelled. "Well…spirit…uh, I hereby ask you to please leave this village in peace!" He spun his staff in a circle around his head and planted it in the ground in front of him; Aria could have laughed at him. Where had he gotten that idea from?

"Ok, well I guess that's settled then…" Aang said, turning and heading back toward the main building. Aria frowned; something didn't seem right. The sounds of crickets and other night prowlers had quieted, everything was strangely silent and it was as if the woods were holding its breath. Her eyes widened in fear and surprise when behind Aang, appeared a form of enormous size. Black and white patches covered the body of the great monster and sharp teeth glinted dully in the low light of nearby lanterns. It stood on four powerful limbs with two smaller ones hanging from its chest. Habai had come at last.

Aang walked along leisurely for several seconds before realizing something was amiss. If the situation wasn't so serious, his look of shock would have been comical. He spun around and seemed to regain his composure.

"You must be the Habai spirit! My name is-"

Habai opened his mouth and an unearthly scream speared into Aria's ears. The people around her clutched at their ears in pain and backed away from the windows. Blue light emitting from Habai's open jaws surrounded Aang and Habai reared up on his hind legs, clawing at the air. Ignoring Aang, Habai turned to nearby buildings and began demolishing them. Flitting between cottages with supernatural speed, Habai spread destruction everywhere he went. Aang trailed behind him, begging Habai to listen to him. Aria glanced up at the ceiling in concern, if Habai came their way, the building would come down on top of them. She had never before had experience with the spirit world and strangely, it wasn't as unsettling as she would expect.

"I command you to turn around now!" Aang shouted. He had flown to the roof of a house, tired of being ignored. Habai went still for a moment before swinging around and smacking Aang off the roof and across the village where he collided with the wall of another house. Aria's eyes widened and she gripped the window sill so tightly her knuckles were turning white. He was on his feet and seemed to be ok but she was afraid for him.

"That's it! He needs help!" Sokka said angrily. Before anyone could react, he had run for the door and was bounding down the steps to the road below. Aria and Katara made to follow him but were grabbed by the two men they had spoken to earlier. Aria reacted instinctively; she spun around with a snarl on her face and fist raised. The man looked shocked and she quickly dropped her fist before completing the action; she had been about to blast him off his feet with fire! Crossing her arms, she turned back to the doorway, shaken by her lack of self-control.

She had turned just in time to see Sokka in Habai's grip and disappearing into the forest. Gasping, she sprinted down the road after them, Katara in close pursuit. Aang had already been swallowed up by the forest after Habai on his glider. At the gate to the village, Aria stopped, panting, and waited for Katara to catch up. Neither Aang nor Habai were anywhere to be seen, they were just…gone. After a few minutes of uncertainty, Katara settled down to wait in the middle of the gateway while Aria leaned against cold stone wall with her arms crossed.

As the night deepened the temperature dropped significantly. Frost covered the stone wall except where Aria's body heat kept it at bay. When the girls exhaled, their breath formed into a white cloud before dispersing. Katara sat huddled on the ground, looking wretched. The three beat gait of the old man with the cane reached the two girls and Aria turned slightly while Katara acted as though she had not heard.

"I'm sure they'll be back." He stated solemnly.

"I know." Katara responded simply.

"You should get some rest." The old man said, laying a blanket around Katara's shoulders and handing one off to Aria.

"Everything's going to be ok." Katara said, as if trying to convince herself.

"You know it will be Katara." Aria reassured her. She wished she really was that certain.

"Your brother is in good hands, I would be shocked if the Avatar returned without him." He said comfortingly. The three sat in silence waiting for their missing comrades to return while dawn slowly approached. Aria welcomed the coming sun, though she was unable to completely enjoy it. What would they do if Aang and Sokka never came back?

"The sun is rising, perhaps he will return soon." The old man said.

Aria was feeling stiff from standing so long in the same spot and she turned back to village, intending to take a walk. As she passed Katara, Aria laid her hand on Katara's shoulder reassuringly before moving on. The village wasn't large and she set off at a brisk pace just inside the perimeter wall. It wasn't long before Aria became aware of small feet pattering after her. Glancing behind her, Aria managed to see a little boy following behind at a safe distance. When she completely turned around, however, he dove quickly behind a nearby water barrel.

Bewildered, Aria backtracked and peered around the barrel. A boy of, what Aria was guessing, eight was crouched behind the barrel, looking guilty at being caught.

"Er…hi." Aria said uncertainly.

"Hi." The boy answered, peering up at her face before quickly looking back down at his feet. They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence; the boy fidgeted with his hands and Aria stood, unsure what to do.

"Um, my name's Aria." She said, trying to strike up conversation. The boy stood up and dusted off his pants before answering.

"I'm Bingwen." He stated solemnly. Aria wanted to laugh at his serious manner but instead bowed to him.

"It's nice to meet you Bingwen."

Bingwen ignored this.

"Why are you so dirty? Doesn't your mother make you take baths?" He asked.

Aria looked down at herself and her lips twitched up in a smile. She had forgotten about the ash still smeared over her clothes.

"Yes, when I'm home. She makes me bathe every day, sometimes twice a day!" Aria answered in mock horror. Bingwen's eyes widened in disgust.

"I'da ran away too." He said in a sympathetic voice. Aria couldn't contain herself and laughed. Who was this little boy?

"Are you one of the bad people? Mom says only bad people wear those." Bingwen asked boldly, pointing at her clothes.

"No, I'm not one of the bad people. I'm here with the Avatar to help." Aria explained.

"Ok." He said, accepting what she had said without question.

"Well, it was nice to meet you Bingwen; I'm going to keep walking." Aria said cheerfully. Bingwen said nothing but when Aria turned to walk away, there was a sound of little feet following her. "Well come on silly, get up here."

Aria and Bingwen walked the rest of the village together. Bingwen didn't once stop questioning her, sometimes not giving Aria the chance to answer. Aria had thought he was a quiet boy when she first came across him but it seemed he was only warming up at the time. The people they came across gave the pair curious looks, but otherwise went on with their day. He had not yet ran out of questions when they came back around to the gate where Katara was getting up on Appa.

"Hey, where are you going?" Aria asked. Bingwen had temporarily been silenced by the sight of Appa.

"I'm going to search for them from the sky." Katara answered.

"Ok, maybe I can search on foot. You won't be able to see anything under the trees." Aria offered. Katara nodded gratefully and urged Appa into the sky.

"I have to go for a little bit," Aria said, kneeling down next to Bingwen, "you have to stay here, alright?"

"I want to go too!" Bingwen crossed his arms and pouted.

"You could get lost!" Aria said, "Wouldn't your mommy and daddy be worried if you left? I'll be back before you know it." She waited until Bingwen was headed back among the cottages before taking off into the woods.

The forest was filled with the chatter of birds and squirrels and Aria walked without hurry. She was seriously doubtful that she'd come across Sokka and Aang wandering around in the woods but it was better than doing nothing. Her eyes scanned the ground, looking for any sign that they had gone this way. Did spirits leave tracks? For over an hour, she zigzagged across the forest pushing through the underbrush and stepping over twisted roots. Ahead, the sun was shining strongly through the trees and Aria emerged into the barren, ash covered section of the woods. She stood for a moment looking out at the destruction before heading back. She wasn't going to find them.

The village gates soon came into view; on the other side of them stood two people Aria didn't recognize. They seemed to be waiting anxiously for someone to arrive. When she entered the village, their eyes widened and they quickly converged on her.

"Where is he?" One of them, a woman, demanded.

"What?" Aria asked, confused.

"Where is my son?" The other of the two, a man, asked.

"Is your son Bingwen?" Aria asked, already sure of the answer.

"Yes! He said he was going with you; he didn't say you were going into the forest!" The woman answered frantically. "How could you let a little boy go into the forest with a monster on the loose?"

"He wasn't with me! I told him to go home!" Aria answered indignantly. "Are you sure he's not hiding somewhere in the village?"

"Of course we're sure." Bingwen's mother hissed with her eyes narrowed.

"I'll find him! He can't have gotten far." Her heart sank as she realized he was somewhere in the woods alone.

Aria took off into the woods again while behind her she could hear Bingwen's parents yelling for people to come help. What kind of parents would let their child go with a stranger? Especially a stranger who had been accepted into the village only grudgingly. Aria searched the ground carefully, a little boy wouldn't be careful enough to avoid leaving some sort of sign. The ground cover of leaves made it tough but sure enough, she soon came across a foot print deeply pressed into mud. Going in the same direction as the foot print, she hurried forward, scared for the little boy.

"Bingwen!" Aria called out, listening eagerly for a reply. She heard none and continued on, regularly calling for him. Several minutes had passed when she stopped dead; had she imagined that? She waited with bated breath when she heard it again. There was someone crying ahead and to the right. That someone sounded like a certain little boy!

"Bingwen!" Aria shouted, sprinting forward. She came upon him in no time and slid to her knees, hugging him. He had a few scratches and looked scared but was alright. "Why didn't you stay in the village?"

"I wanted to come..." Bingwen sniffled. Sighing, Aria picked him up piggyback and trekked back through the trees and to the village. He was squeezing her way too tightly around the neck and breathing heavily in her ear but she ignored it; she was just relieved to have found him. Having eighty pounds on her back seemed to make the return trip twice as long. As soon as she came into sight of the village gates, Bingwen's hysterical parents ran for her and ripped him off her back. Without a word to Aria, they hustled back into the village and out of sight. Tired, Aria walked slowly through the gates and sat with her back against the wall. Around her, the making of a search party was dispersing now that Bingwen had been found. Despite what had happened, she really liked Bingwen and would miss him when they left.

Aria didn't have long to wait before Appa sailed over the village and landed outside the gates. She stood and waited for Katara to come in. By the look on Katara's face, Aria knew she was unsuccessful too. Aria met her by the gate and hugged her; she knew it was worse for Katara since it was her brother that was missing and Aria felt horrible for her. She wasn't sure when it happened, but somehow, Aria realized, the two girls had become friends. With their arms around each other, they slowly made their way back to the communal building at the end of the road; it'd be sunset soon and they'd need to be under cover.

As the sun sank low on the horizon, the people of the village gathered into the building and made to shut the doors. Aria could see Bingwen and his family huddled in the corner together. Katara remained on the porch looking out and Aria joined her. Aria shielded her eyes against the last rays of the sun and something caught her eye. On the horizon, growing steadily larger was a large black spot. Katara and Aria seemed to simultaneously realize what it was and ran down the steps. Aang was back! He landed gracefully on his feet and collapsed his glider, walking towards the girls.

"Where's Sokka?" Katara asked when they had finished hugging.

"I'm not sure." Aang answered hanging his head.

Night had truly fallen and Katara and Aria retreated into the building while Aang remained outside. Katara had been torn up by the information that Sokka was still missing but had said little. They waited anxiously, watching Aang out the window as he patrolled the village. Habai did not come quietly that night.

Wood and stone exploded upward as Habai rose on his hind legs behind a building. His terrible roar resounded across the village and the blue light spilled from between his jaws. Aang managed to summon up a protective pocket of air around himself to avoid falling rubble and he held his ground.

"Aang, what are you doing? Run!" Katara shouted at him through the window. Habai heard and turned toward the building they were hiding in. Aria grabbed Katara and put her hand over Katara's mouth. It was too late, seemingly without moving, Habai was suddenly standing in front of the communal building; sides heaving. Losing no time, Aang jumped over Habai and hovered in front of his face for a moment; his hand on Habai's forehead. Aria couldn't be sure but she thought she saw a faint blue light where Aang's hand had made contact.

"You're the spirit of this forest." Aang said in wonder, "Now I understand. You were upset and angry because your home was burnt down. When I saw the forest had burned I was sad and upset but my friend gave me hope that the forest would grow back."

Raising his hand in the air, Aang offered up an acorn to the spirit before setting it down on the porch. Everyone waited with bated breath as Habai considered the small nut. Grasping his large fingers around it, Habai took the acorn and turned for the gate of the village. Aria almost doubted her eye sight when Habai started changing; by the time he was turned all the way around, his frightening form had seemed to grow hazy and transformed into a panda bear of gigantic proportions. The people gathered in the building rushed out onto the porch and watched as Habai withdrew from the village. When he passed through the gates a thicket of bamboo sprouted up behind him. After a short pause, the bamboo rustled and the missing people, including Sokka, emerged.

Aria remained behind on the porch as everyone rushed to greet their newly returned loved ones. She was relieved Sokka had returned but held back, giving Katara a chance to greet her brother. She smiled faintly at the joy on the villagers' faces; they had not had much to be happy about lately. No one was immune to the feeling of positivity and well-being; tonight there was no war or hardship. When the families at last broke free from the embraces, they all turned toward the building they had been hiding in for the last couple of days, looking expectant. At the foot of the stairs stood the two men they had first met when coming to this village.

"Thank you Avatar, if there was only a way to repay you for what you have done." The younger of the two said gratefully.

"You could give us some supplies and money." Sokka said unabashedly.

"Sokka!" Katara said, elbowing him in the side.

"What? We need stuff." He answered obstinately.

"It would be an honor to help you prepare for your journey." The man answered graciously. He walked away, giving the group privacy.

"Welcome back." Aria said, grinning at Sokka.

"Like I could leave you guys to get to the North Pole on your own." Sokka answered sarcastically. Aria chuckled but said nothing.

"I'm so proud of you Aang. You figured out what to do all on your own." Katara said warmly.

"Actually, I did have a little help." Aang admitted, "And there's something else…"

"What is it?" Katara asked.

"I need to talk to Roku. And I think I found a way to contact his spirit." Aang answered brightly.

"That's great!" Katara cried.

"Creepy…but great." Sokka added. Aria frowned; he's going to contact another spirit after everything that happened this time?

"There's a temple on a crescent shaped island and if I go there on the solstice I'll be able to speak with him." Aang said innocently. Aria's eyes narrowed even further; she was willing to bet the island he was talking about was Crescent Isle inside the boundaries of the Fire Nation. There was a temple there tended by Fire Sages loyal to Avatar Roku. During her time on the Navy ship, Kon had taken it upon himself to teach her about the surrounding geography and its significance.

"But the solstice is tomorrow." Katara pointed out.

"Yeah and there's one more problem. The island is in the Fire Nation." Aang said, confirming Aria's suspicions. Katara and Sokka stared in a stunned silence.


	13. Chapter 13

Katara and Sokka immediately launched into furious protests at Aang's unfortunate news. How could he even think about going to the Fire Nation? They needed to reach the North Pole as soon as possible. What if they got caught? It wasn't just about him; the whole world was counting on him. Aria asked only one question.

"Why?" She knew why but if Aang was going to convince her to go back to the Fire Nation he'd have to offer a good argument.

"I'm the avatar but I have no idea how to be! We have no real idea of what I should be doing." Aang answered emphatically, "I have the chance to talk to Avatar Roku! The only chance I'll have until the next solstice! I mean, if he sent his dragon to me, he has to have something important to say!"

"Ok but do you understand exactly what you want? Ships patrol the Fire Nation waters constantly. If you aren't seen it'll be a miracle. And trust me on this, you better hope we aren't seen because as soon as we are, the entire Fire Nation fleet will be deployed to track you down and bring you in. They might not kill you; they wouldn't want to have to find you all over again, but its certain death for anyone with you. That means the rest of the world will be left to defend themselves against the Fire Nation, which hasn't been going well so far." Aria said wearily, "I'm not saying this to discourage you; I just want you to know the risks. Don't make that decision lightly."

"I know…but I need to do this." Aang maintained stubbornly.

"Ok, then I'll do it." Aria said simply. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably and she did her best to ignore it. The chances of them getting into the Fire Nation and back out undetected was extremely low. She hadn't been entirely truthful; Katara and Sokka would probably be killed but Aria would likely be taken to Zhao. That couldn't happen; if it came down to it and the others were dead, she'd give them such a big fight they'd have no choice but to kill her.

"Aang, this is a bad idea." Katara began. Sokka crossed his arms and nodded, agreeing with Katara.

"Ok, fine. We won't go. I just thought it was the right thing to do." Aang said defeated. Aria narrowed her eyes at how easily he gave in but said nothing.

"Oh good!" Katara said, hugging Aang. "Let's go in and get some sleep."

"I'll be in in a little bit; I just want to visit Appa for a while." Aang answered.

Sokka, Katara, and Aria turned and walked back towards the building they were staying in but not before Aria gave Aang a long, searching look. Entering the building, Aria had to stop and allow her eyes to adjust to the almost pitch black of the interior of the building. The wooden floor creaked and groaned under their feet as they passed to the area their bed rolls had been laid out. While Katara and Sokka kicked off their shoes and crawled into their bed rolls, Aria began rolling hers up and gathering her stuff back into her pack.

"Aria, what are you doing?" Katara asked curiously.

"Going with Aang." She answered distractedly.

"What do you mean? Aang agreed; we aren't going." Sokka pointed out.

"Yes he is. Since you're too thick headed to figure it out, he's not just visiting Appa; he's trying to sneak off." Aria answered impatiently. As predicted, this revelation made the siblings jump up out of their beds as if burnt and run out the door. Shouldering her pack, Aria walked calmly out the building after the others.

Outside, the full moon illuminated the village, seeming extraordinarily bright after the pitch darkness of the building. The wreckage of the houses seemed oddly eerie in the pale, white light. The trees surrounding the village swayed and moaned in the steady breeze but did not quite mask the sound of hundreds of crickets. Down the road, Appa had planted his feet stubbornly and no amount of pulling on Aang's part would entice him to move. Sokka and Katara had almost reached him and Aria quickened her pace.

"Get your big butt off the ground and let's go!" Aria heard Aang's voice cry out.

"I think his big butt is trying to tell you something." Sokka said slyly, crossing his arms and tilting his head.

"Please don't go Aang; the world can't afford to lose you to the Fire Nation. Neither can I." Katara pleaded. The commotion had woken up several of the villagers, all who were grouped behind Katara. Bingwen's parents were among them but Bingwen himself was absent; Aria wished she could have said goodbye to the little boy. She stood next to Appa, waiting for the affair to come to a close. She would go with Aang wherever he wanted; if she could do even a little bit to help end the war she would.

"But I have to talk to Avatar Roku! I need to get to the Fire Temple before the sun sets on the solstice. That's today!" Aang persisted, jumping up on Appa.

"We're not letting you go to the Fire Nation Aang." Katara growled forcefully, jumping in front of Appa.

"At least, not without your friends." Sokka added. "We've got your back."

"And good luck leaving without me." Aria said smirking. Aang jumped in surprise and turned around. Aria had already climbed into Appa's saddle and was settled against the edge; she could be incredibly quiet when she wanted to be. The man, who Aria had come to realize, must be in some sort of leadership position, approached with a large bundle of supplies held up in his arms.

"It's a long journey to the Crescent Isle, you'll have to fly fast to have any chance of making it before sun down. Good luck." He said solemnly, passing up the supplies to Aang.

"Thank you for-" Aang began.

"Go!" The man interrupted.

With a lurch, Appa rose into the air and quickly gained altitude. The cool air bit into their exposed skin and they hunched over, trying to stay warm. Miles and miles of forest passed beneath, shadowed in darkness. Aria spent the time considering the multiple difficulties they could run into and how she'd deal with them. Would it be better to use her bending and alienate her friends or just take what comes?

The sun was just rising above the horizon as they crossed over the shoreline and into the open ocean. The water reflected the sunlight, making the group squint their eyes. The sky was bright blue and cheerful, the temperature comfortably warm; everything seemed in an odd contrast to their anxious moods and dangerous destination.

"Come on boy, we have a long way to go! Faster!" Aang urged Appa. With a groan, Appa surged forward at a much faster pace. Wind plucked at Aria's hair and clothes as she stared in the direction she knew her home was in; every minute was bringing them closer.

"Aang, we've got trouble!" Katara called out.

"Yeah and its gaining fast!" Sokka yelled.

Aria looked around; the source of the trouble was immediately apparent. A Fire Nation ship was coming up from behind and indeed gaining fast. Doubt filled Aria; they were barely in Fire Nation waters and already pursued. Black smoke trailed after the ship and spiraled into the sky; it was unbelievable they hadn't noticed it before it had gotten so close. Aria stared intently at the ship, trying to get a glimpse of who was commanding it; her suspicions were confirmed when, as the ship got closer, she was able to see Zuko and Iroh standing on the front deck.

"Zuko!" Aria cried happily, forgetting herself. The smile slid off her face when a hole opened up in the middle of the deck from which rose the catapult that, Aria knew, every ship had at least one of. Huge fire balls would soon be headed their way. She sat stunned, staring at the ship; Zuko was going to fire at her! Logically, Aria knew Zuko didn't know she was with the Avatar but it was hard to reconcile herself to the fact that for now, Zuko was an enemy. For the time being, he would do his best to knock her out of the sky.

"Aang you need to get us out of here, they'll be shooting at us soon!" Aria urged. Sure enough, the ammunition was ignited and wreathed in flame. The rope was cut and the fire ball was sent shooting through the sky towards the bison.

"Fire ball!" Katara screamed.

"I'm on it!" Aang responded. He yanked on the reins, turning Appa sharply to the right. The fire ball passed harmlessly on the left, trailing smoke, though too close for comfort. Aria was fervently grateful it was so hard to aim the catapults accurately.

"We have to get out of Zuko's range, before he shoots another hot stinker at us!" Katara said.

"Can't you make Appa go any faster?" Sokka asked urgently.

"Yeah, but there's only one problem." Aang said. There was no need for any further explanation.

"A blockade." Aria breathed with wide eyes. The ships extended in a line as far as the eye could see; there had to be over fifty of them! Why were they blockading the eastern border of the Fire Nation? Whatever the reason, it meant horribly bad luck for the group.

"If we fly north we can go around the Fire Nation ships and avoid the blockade! It's the only way!" Aang said anxiously.

"There's no time!" Katara argued.

"This is exactly why I didn't want you to come! It's too dangerous!" Aang shouted angrily.

"And that's exactly why we're here." Katara said grimly.

Aang seemed to debate for a moment on the course they should take, every second taking them closer to the blockade. Aria leaned far over the edge of the saddle, staring at the blockade. She couldn't make out anybody on the ships; they were too far away. They were close enough, however, for her to make out the several catapults on each ship; each one loaded and pointed in their general direction.

"Aang you have to decide now!" Aria urged.

"Let's run this blockade!" Aang shouted in determination.

"Be ready to dodge." Aria mumbled to herself.

"Appa, yip yip!" Aang urged Appa faster.

The sky bison showed in sharp relief in the circle of the telescope, flying steadily toward them. Zhao lowered the telescope and focused on the small ship sailing toward them. A small, malicious smirk spread across his face.

"The avatar and the banished prince." Zhao said, bringing the telescope back up to the sky bison. Faint frown lines appeared on his forehead; a face had appeared over the edge of the beast, looking in their direction. Angled brows surmounted golden, almond shaped eyes. The full lips were slightly parted beneath the straight, well-formed nose. He couldn't mistake her. "Aria…this must be my lucky day.

The day Aria disappeared, General Jirou had had everyone searching the city. His anger that day was terrible to behold. Zhao remembered thinking that for her sake, she better hope she wasn't found. They had been able to determine she had gotten on Commander Kon's ship but when discovering it had been captured by the Earth Kingdom, the trail went cold. Zhao had no idea how she had ended up with the avatar but she wouldn't be at liberty much longer. His smirk widened into a smile full of anticipation and malice.

"Commander Zhao, what are your orders?" One of Zhao's captains asked. Zhao considered for a moment before answering.

"Shoot the bison down Captain." He answered neutrally. If Aria or the avatar got it hurt it'd make them that much easier to handle.

"There's a Fire Navy ship out there sir!" The Captain said uncertainly. "One of our own, what if it gets hit?"

"So be it, it belongs to a traitor." Zhao answered coldly, "Ignite!"

By the end of this day he'd have the avatar in chains, Aria in his bed, and the Prince in prison. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, anticipating the coming events.

"Launch!"

Gasps of despair escaped from the four on the sky bison; reflected in their wide, staring eyes was a sky thick with blazing fire balls, all streaking towards them. Appa veered haphazardly through the sky, dodging the deadly projectiles. Around them, the fire balls collided and the kids ducked trying to avoid the shooting shrapnel. Directly ahead of them, two of the fire balls were on a collision course with each other and Aria opened her mouth to yell but the warning came too late. They collided only feet ahead of the sky bison and the kids were forced to fly through the aftermath. Aria ducked her head but not before a shard of rock scored a long scratch across her cheek. They emerged from the cloud of rubble coughing with their eyes stinging. Any closer and they would have been seriously hurt. The kids bent over the side of the saddle, putting out Appa's singed hair.

"Appa, are you ok?" Aang cried. The great bison roared in pain. Aang yanked sharply up on the reins, sending Appa up into the cloud cover. The clouds cloaking the line of ships lured them into feeling safe but only for a moment. The catapults were quickly adjusted and fire balls were penetrating the clouds; the wind the fire balls were generating seemed to be screaming for their death. Aria gripped the saddle hard, trying to stay put as Appa twisted and turned through the sky. Once again, the kids were forced to duck as two of the fire balls collided, sending shrapnel soaring in all directions. With a terrified scream, Sokka's grip was wrenched from the saddle and he went flying through the air. Aria went pale when Katara was unable to grab Sokka and he disappeared beneath the clouds. Gritting his teeth in determination, Aang sent Appa into a rocketing dive towards the sea after Sokka. They managed to get underneath him only feet above the ocean; Aria could feel the spray from the waves stinging her face. Katara braced herself, reached out for Sokka, and with tremendous effort pulled him down into the saddle. Appa touched down on the surface of the ocean before he was able to gain altitude once more, choosing to fly only a few yards over the surface. Fire balls smacked into the sea, raising great plumes of water that soon soaked the group on the bison. They were flying fast now, bearing down on the closest of the ships. As a final effort, the lead ship fired the last of its catapults, aiming carefully at Appa. Aria held her breath, watching it fly closer. Frowning in concentration, Aang jumped forward off of Appa; throwing his foot out and bending an immensely powerful blast of air, he blew apart the fire ball and just managed to land back on Appa.

They were now too close for the catapults and the soldiers on the ships milled about aimlessly, no longer sure of what to do. Aria gasped in shock when they passed the ship that had fired the last shot. Standing on the starboard deck of the ship was Commander Zhao, surrounded by subordinates. He was studying them coolly, seemingly undisturbed by their narrow escape. Aria was fervently hoping Zhao didn't know she was aboard Appa when his eyes met hers and he raised his arm in salute, an arrogant smile playing around his lips. Aria was thoroughly unsettled and she jumped when Katara hugged her and Sokka eagerly.

"We made it!" Aang yelled in jubilation.

"We got into the Fire Nation." Sokka said, seemingly in shock.

They flew on without any more excitement as the sun sank towards the ocean and the sky faded to pink. No one said a word, immersed in their own thoughts. Aria was worried about Zhao's reaction; he should have been through the roof at losing the avatar but he had stayed calm and even smiled at her. Now more than ever, Aria doubted their decision to come to the Fire Nation; she felt in her gut that that would not be the last time they would encounter Zhao while in the Fire Nation. Acknowledging her inability to discern Zhao's thoughts, Aria stared out at the horizon, thinking of Zuko.

"There it is!" Aang cried, yanking Aria out of her reverie. "The island where Roku's dragon took me."

Appa's passengers all sat up straight and alert, looking at the island they were quickly approaching. Consisting entirely of black rock, the island curved around in the shape of a crescent and was dominated in the center by a huge volcano. Red hot lava crept down the side of the towering volcano and black smoke bellowed from the opening. The temple itself wasn't immediately apparent until they got closer. Nestled on the shoulder of the volcano, the temple stood straight and tall; several stories tall. A long winding walkway traveled up the side of the volcano and led to the doorway of the temple. They circled the island, looking for a safe place to land. The island was uninhabitable and much of it would be unsuitable for Appa to land on.

Finally Appa settled down on a small flat clearing shielded by a ledge of lava rock. Inside the clearing was a small, withered tree bravely fighting for the right to exist. Without delay, the group dismounted and prepared to head for the temple; there wasn't a lot of time to waste. Aria surveyed the surrounding ocean looking for ships while Aang praised Appa and the water tribe kids milled around. There were none and she relaxed slightly, perhaps they had gotten lucky after all.

The air on the island was stiflingly hot and their breathing was quickly labored on their walk up to the temple. Steam rose out of the ground and covered everything in a haze, making it difficult to see at times. Though it was a relatively short walk and they got to the temple in only ten minutes, they were already covered in sweat. Crouching behind an outcropping of rock, the group surveyed the temple, looking for danger. The temple was designed in the style of most Fire Nation buildings; the roof was made to look like flames rising to the sky and supported by grand pillars. The door was surrounded by rich red and yellow flames.

"I don't see any guards." Sokka stated.

"The Fire Nation must have abandoned the temple when Avatar Roku died." Katara offered as an explanation.

"I wouldn't count on it being empty." Aria said skeptically.

"It's almost sundown, we better hurry." Aang said impatiently, leaping up. The others followed suit and ran up the steps approaching the entrance.

The entrance emptied out into a large room with corridors branching off at regular intervals. Being lit by red lanterns and flames patterning the bottom of the columns and walls gave the impression of standing in the middle of a fire. The group moved forward cautiously, unsure of where to go. Aria frowned at the lit lanterns; if the lanterns were being tended to someone had to be here doing it. Where were they?

"Wait, I think I heard something." Sokka said, whipping around. The others followed suit and turned in the direction of the noise. Standing in the doorway the kids had entered through was a group of men, all wrapped in rich red gowns and hats. Aria edged to the front of the group, prepared to ward off a fire attack. If they were Fire Benders, which Aria suspected they were, she wasn't going to let her friends get seriously hurt because she was too selfish and wanted to stay in the group.

"We are the Fire Sages, guardians of the temple of the avatar." The man in front pronounced. He was slightly bent with age and a white beard dominated his face. Despite the appearance of age, Aria remained on her guard, unsure of where the encounter was heading.

"Great! I am the avatar!" Aang said, always willing to trust.

"We know." The man answered. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward and thrust out his arm, sending a blast of fire directly at Aang. Aria settled down into the horse stance, prepared to disperse the coming fire but Aang took initiative and ran forward, using blasts of air to divert them.

"I'll hold them off, run!" Aang yelled.

Aria hesitated; Aang couldn't Fire Bend yet, what if he couldn't handle them all at once? Aria wasn't concerned about herself; she knew she'd be able to take them all. Excitement overshadowed the fear that the others would reject her and she could feel her bending burning beneath the surface, eager to be given an outlet. She made to run forward, to teach those men they should never had traded their loyalty to the avatar for loyalty to the Firelord but Katara caught her arm.

"Aria what are you doing? Let's go!" She screamed, dragging Aria back. Aria turned and looked at Katara; panic filled her eyes and she was tugging urgently on Aria's arm. Disappointment welled up inside Aria at losing the chance to get into a good fight but she ran anyway. If Aang was able to handle them himself, it would be better if she didn't get involved. Eventually, she'd tell them the truth but that moment wasn't now.

Arms pumping and breathing hard, Aria bounded forward, extending her legs as far as she could in great flying strides. Sokka was sprinting slightly ahead while Katara brought up the rear. Red paneled walls flew by in a blur and though they passed several openings they continued in a straight path. Aria was listening hard over the sound of their labored breathing and pounding feet for the sound of pursuit; she heard nothing. Without warning, Aang shot out of a side corridor, pin wheeling his arms to keep balanced.

"Follow me!" Aang yelled. Aria fervently hoped he knew where he was going.

"Do you know where you're going?" Sokka asked.

"Nope!" Aang called back as he rounded a corner, "Wrong way!"

He quickly reversed and the others followed suit, trying to keep up with his incredible speed. Behind her, Aria could hear one of the sages yelling after them to stop but instead she dug deep, reaching higher speeds. Only minutes later, however, she skidded to a stop; Aang had led them to a dead end. Footsteps behind her announced the arrival of the fire sage and she whipped around, prepared to fight.

"I don't want to fight you!" He said, hands raised in the air. "I'm a friend."

"Firebenders aren't our friends!" Sokka answered angrily. Aria glanced uneasily at Sokka; would he act the same way when he found out about her? She was beginning to doubt her judgment on ever lying in the first place. To their surprise, the sage dropped to his knees in submission.

"I know why you're here avatar." He said, looking up at them.

"You do?" Aang asked curiously.

"Yes, you wish to talk to Avatar Roku." The fire sage answered, regaining his feet somewhat clumsily. "I can take you to him. I am Shiou."

"How?" Aang asked suspiciously.

In response, Shiou slid aside a lantern hanging on the wall, revealing a small niche underneath. Covering his mouth with his fist, his other hand covering the niche, he seemingly coughed, sending a small blast of fire into the wall. To their amazement, a door opened up in the wall, revealing a long winding staircase within.

"This way." Shiou said. In the distance, the sound of the other fire sages searching for them seemed to grow louder. "Hurry, there isn't much time!"

Together, they walked through the door, deciding to trust the man. Aria regretted the door closing behind them; they were now committed to going with this stranger. As they followed the staircase deep into the island, Aria listened attentively to the fire sage's tale about the origins of the temple and the fire sages' eventual shift in loyalty to the Firelord. Soon they were headed up again on a large, spiraling staircase to what the fire sage said was the sanctuary. Aria's legs were beginning to burn when the man pushed aside a panel in the ceiling and they clambered out onto the floor of a large chamber. The ceiling was supported by columns decorated with twining dragons; directly ahead were two large doors firmly closed. The doors were ornately decorated with five dragon heads all with opened mouths pointing outward.

"No!" The fire sage despaired. "The sanctuary doors are closed!"

"Can't you just open them with fire bending?" Katara asked. Aria examined the door; it'd take some powerful bending to get it open with only one person. "Like you did with that other door?"

"No. Only a fully realized avatar is powerful enough to open this door alone. Otherwise the sages must open the doors together with five simultaneous fire blasts."

"Five fire blasts…" Sokka said thoughtfully. "I think I can help you out."

As Sokka explained his idea, Aria became antsy. The other fire sages could be sneaking up the stairway and they wouldn't realize it until too late. Restlessly, she constantly paced to the trap door and looked in, hoping against seeing a body emerging from below. Sokka placed explosive bags in each of the dragons' mouth, his plan being to imitate fire bending, forcing the doors to open. Unable to stand the feeling of someone sneaking up on her any longer, Aria made a move for the hole in the floor.

"I'm going to go watch for the other fire sages." Aria stated. She dropped down through the hole and headed down the stairs. Having no way to send a message, keeping a lookout for the other sages would be pointless if warning the others was her objective; it wasn't. When the sages showed up Aria would make sure they didn't reach that sanctuary. At the bottom of the stairs, a stalagmite of enormous proportions had formed and it was behind this Aria chose to wait. She settled down on the lava warmed rock and listened.

It wasn't long before an enormous explosion made the rock vibrate and dust rained down on Aria. Several minutes later, as predicted, the sages came running. Aria stood and stretched, calmly waiting for the last of the sages to pass her hiding spot. Smiling grimly, Aria made to step out from behind the stalagmite when a new set of footsteps reached her ears and she hastily withdrew again. Her mind instantly turned to Zhao and her body tensed, waiting for the people behind the footsteps to come into view.

When Aria was able to discern the approaching figures, she put her hand over her mouth to keep from gasping and pressed herself back against the stalagmite. Zuko ran by quietly followed by a handful of soldiers, ignorant of Aria's presence only feet away. Aria stood against the rock for a moment before steeling herself and silently moving up the stairs after them. She moved slowly, minding every step she took. At the top of the stairs she paused, listening. Cautiously she raised her herself up above the door and took in the situation. Katara and Sokka were chained against a pillar and Zuko and the sages were attempting to fire bend the door open with no avail. Aria could only assume from his absence that Aang was inside the sanctuary.

"Why isn't it working? It's sealed shut!" Zuko said angrily.

"It must have been the light. Avatar Roku doesn't want us inside." The eldest of the sages answered.

Zuko rounded on Shiou who was kneeling on the ground with his hands bound. A debate raged through Aria's mind, making her immobile. Should she remain in the shadow and let things progress or intervene and perhaps reconcile her love and her friends? Everything had been seemingly to building up over the last couple of days and she couldn't stand the thought of lying any longer. With a deep breath, Aria leapt out of the trapdoor and quickly moved to the center of the room approaching Zuko from behind. Noticing the fire sages' surprise, Zuko spun around to face the potential threat. His face registered first shock and then joy. Aria resisted the urge to touch him and stood her ground, not sure how to begin explaining things.

"Aria! What-" Zuko rushed forward and hugged her fiercely. Aria hugged him back and resisted the temptation to bury her face in his chest and never let go; instead she pulled away from him.

Katara and Sokka's jaws dropped in shock.

"You lied to us! You're Fire Nation!" Katara screamed at her.

"Katara, listen to me-" Aria begged.

"You disgusting, lying-" Sokka began.

"Be quiet you filthy peasant!" Zuko roared.

"Katara, I can explain everything." Aria began but Katara turned her head away in disgust. She abandoned the attempt to get Katara to listen; right now her priority was to convince Zuko to let them go. She could gain Katara and Sokka's trust back later.

"Zuko-" Aria said, looking at Katara with sorrow. Their friendship was over.

"The avatar, we've got him. We'll take him back to the Fire Nation! I can finally go home! We can finally be together!" Zuko said enthusiastically.

"It's not that simple anymore" Aria replied urgently. She had to make Zuko understand.

"I'll have my honor back, my father will welcome me home and you and I will be married. Can you believe it?" Zuko said, not listening to Aria.

"Zuko! Zuko, you have to listen to me! A lot has changed." Aria demanded urgently. "The Fire Nation is wrong! You can't bring the avatar in!"

"If this traitor hadn't aided him, we'd have him already." Zuko sneered at the fire sage on his knees.

"It was once the fire sage's duty to help the avatar; it is still our duty." Shiou said proudly.

A slow, mocking, clapping echoed through the large chamber and Aria turned toward the stair well, her heart seeming to sink down toward her feet. Zhao advanced toward them with a battalion of his soldiers close behind, a triumphant smile dominating his face. Aria felt only anger; Zhao had just ruined any chance she had of reconciling the people she truly cared about. Zuko would have listened, she knew it. Complete loathing curled Aria's lips as Zhao arrogantly moved further into the room.

"What a moving and heart felt performance." Zhao said mockingly. "I'm certain the Firelord will understand when you explain why you betrayed him."

Zuko surged forward angrily, pushing Aria behind him.

"And Prince Zuko, it was a noble effort but your smoke screen didn't work." Zhao said, crossing his arms. "Two traitors in one day, the Firelord will be pleased.

His gaze settled on Aria next and his smile widened. Aria raised her chin and stared at him arrogantly, refusing to show any weakness as her arms were grabbed from behind and secured with rope.

"Aria, you've been missing for quite a while. I'm sure your father will be overjoyed at having you back home." Zhao said pleasantly.

"I'm sure; we've always been fond of each other." Aria answered dryly. Zhao chuckled but said nothing.

"You're too late Zhao! The avatar is inside and the doors are sealed!" Zuko said in rage.

"No matter, sooner or later he has to come out." Zhao answered confidently.

Zuko was quickly chained to an adjacent pillar to the water tribe kids and Aria's arms were held by two of Zhao's soldiers. The dirty looks shot at her by Katara and Sokka seemed to sear right through her skin but she didn't dare talk to them; she didn't want to draw Zhao's attention to them too. Everything inside of Aria rebelled against the current situation; the sight of Zhao's conceited face incited rage inside of her and she wanted to scream. Everything was under his control and he knew it.

Zhao lost no time in arranging his soldiers around the door, prepared for the moment when Aang would emerge. Aria's shoulders were screaming in pain from arms being tied in such an extreme position. The room was deadly silent; everyone was waiting for the coming storm. When Aang came out, he'd have to face an entire battalion of Fire Nation soldiers and the Fire Sages. Deep seated fear was beginning to replace her rage and Aria trembled; Zhao was going to win this day. There had to be something they could do and Aria stared around the room desperately, looking for anything that could help. Zuko, Katara, and Sokka all struggled fruitlessly against the chains that bound them and Aria couldn't defeat all the soldiers on her own; Zhao and the sages were all master benders. This had gone just as Aria warned it would.

"When those doors open unleash all your fire power!" Zhao commanded. The soldiers surrounding the doors raised their hands and crouched down, ready to bend.

"How's Aang going to make it out of this?" Aria heard Katara whisper to Sokka. Aria stared at Katara, willing her to see the regret on Aria's face but Katara was determinedly looking away.

"How are _we _going to get out of this?" Sokka retorted.

Without warning, a bright, ethereal light permeated through the cracks around the door and smoke rolled out from under it, surrounding the people in the room. Slowly the doors creaked open and Zhao readied his men. Inside it was pitch dark and Aang wasn't visible. Katara, Sokka, and Aria all screamed, trying to warn him.

"Fire!" Zhao roared. The fire from each of the soldiers converged, soaring through the doorway. Aria's jaw dropped; standing in the middle of the flames was Avatar Roku himself, bending the flames away from himself. With a quick move of his arms, Avatar Roku sent the flames exploding outward. Only those chained to the pillars remained on their feet; the rest, including Aria, were thrown backward. Disoriented, Aria attempted to stand but lost her balance and fell back again. Everything around her was chaos and her head was spinning; vaguely she realized she must have hit it.

Aria felt herself heaved up onto someone's shoulders and she offered little resistance. The person's jarring footsteps left her unable to breath and her head was pounding. She thought she could hear Zuko yelling her name in the distance but in her current state she couldn't be sure. Slowly, the spinning in Aria's head was receding and she was able to tell it was a soldier carrying her. Aria struggled to get down but her arms were still tied and the man surged forward, down the walkway and toward the waiting ships.

Aria stood shaking on the deck of the commanding ship, surrounded by Zhao's soldiers. From her position, she was able to see the temple go down and Appa soar into the air in the opposite direction of the ships. A wave of relief swept over her; they had gotten away. With their safety secured, her own plight came to mind and she watched Zhao carefully, fearful of what was going to happen.

"No prince! No avatar! It appears the only thing I do have is five traitors!" Zhao roared in fury, looking at the fire sages.

"But Commander, only Shiou helped the avatar." The eldest sage pointed out.

"Save your story for the Firelord, as far as I'm concerned you are all guilty!" Zhao answered. "Take them to the prison hold!"

Aria remained silent, hoping Zhao would overlook her presence but to no avail. As he turned to stalk back to his quarters, he caught her eye and stopped short. Smiling brutally, he marched forward and grabbed her by the chin. She tried to rip away but his grip was like iron.

"Aria," He growled, "welcome back to the Fire Nation. Enjoy it, you _won't_ be leaving again. Take her below!"


	14. Chapter 14

When the guards retreated from the room, Aria sat on the bed with her legs crossed. She inhaled and exhaled deeply and calmly through her nose; her firebending master had taught her to let go of stress by practicing breathing techniques. She smiled faintly; this was a little bit more than a stressful situation. The darkness of the room seemed to press on her from all sides and she tried hard to control the panicked thoughts tearing through her mind. She knew Zhao was going to take her back to the Fire Nation Capital where she would be forced to marry him. Her mind flinched away from the thought of having to face her father again; his wrath would be terrible. There would be no pleading with him to protect her from Zhao; her father would be glad to give Admiral Zhao a chance to mold her into the perfect Fire Nation citizen, regardless of the methods used.

When her thoughts turned to Zhao himself, her stomach twisted in a knot and she shivered involuntarily. She was relying on the presence of the crew to keep her safe while on the ship (she doubted Zhao would be willing to tarnish his reputation), but her time was limited. When they reached the homeland it would be over. They would be married and he would be able to do anything to her without consequence. The life she had thought she would have with Zuko seemed to disappear in a cloud of smoke; she could now see nothing but her father's retribution and Zhao's brutish self. Tears pricked at Aria's eyes and she wiped them away angrily. She wasn't going to let herself wallow in self-pity. Hopefully, Zhao would be so engrossed with his prize he'd leave Aang alone long enough for him to get to the Northern Water Tribe and master water bending. A deep, overwhelming fear overcame Aria and she felt as if she couldn't breathe. _I can do it_ Aria thought halfheartedly; _I will do it to help Aang. _She would sacrifice herself; she was expendable, Aang was not.

"Aang is safe." She forced herself to say out loud, "Everything that happens will be worth helping to end the war." Remembering Zhao's hungry, merciless stare, she couldn't make herself believe her own words.

The next day passed slowly for Aria. She was left well enough alone with only occasional visits from soldiers bearing trays of food which she ignored. Trying to keep herself busy, she searched the room, looking for anything that could be of use. Other than the furniture, the only thing in the room was a chamber pot and a metal pitcher for water. Disappointed, Aria cast herself down on the bed, once again dwelling on her future. Unable to rise out of the black mood she was in, Aria stayed curled on the bed for most of the day. She stared unseeingly at the ceiling above her, vaguely wondering how much time had passed; with no window it was impossible to tell. When Aria judged it was getting well into the evening, she jumped up and paced the floor. She couldn't stand the thought of sitting still any longer. After several moments of her manic pacing, the door was opened, revealing a soldier standing outside.

"The Admiral requests your presence miss."

Not bothering to answer with one of the many sarcastic remarks that were running through her head, Aria got to her feet and followed him down the corridor to another door. The soldier's knock was answered with an order to come in and he swung the door open. Aria entered the room reluctantly, her eyes fixed on the man inside. Zhao was sitting in a low chair; his legs crossed and a glass of what looked like wine in his hand. With a metallic groan, the door swung shut again behind Aria, leaving her alone with him.

"Please, sit." He said motioning to a chair across from his. Aria did as told and surveyed the room. The room was spacious, richly decorated in red and black. Behind the sitting area, which was comprised of three chairs and a low table, was a colossal bed, surmounted with the Fire Nation emblem. Only Zhao would have such luxurious quarters in a war ship Aria thought scathingly. Aware of Zhao watching her, Aria brought her attention back to him but said nothing.

"I apologize for not making a visit earlier," Zhao said regretfully. He stood up and crossed the room to a cabinet. "As I'm sure you can understand I've been otherwise occupied."

Aria continued her silence and watched him with expressionless eyes while Zhao pulled a bottle of wine out of the cabinet and refilled his glass. With his back to her, he produced another glass and filled it out of another bottle. Striding back across the room, he thrust the second glass into her hand and settled back into his chair.

"So what is to be my fate?" Aria asked scathingly.

Zhao chuckled, surveying her over his glass. "The same as it always has been. We've set a course for the Capital. Our hunt for the avatar has been put aside for the time being, General Jirou is quite eager to have you home. When we reach there you and I will be wed. You will remain in your father's house until I return from my search for the avatar. Of course I won't be leaving the Fire Nation for a couple of weeks after the wedding. And when I do get back, I'll be keeping a tight hold on you; you will fulfill your purpose of giving me a child worthy of me and furthering my career. I'll soon be in attendance at the Fire Lord's war councils."

"How is it that I can be welcomed back so easily when every gossip around the city must know by now that I'm a 'traitor' to the Fire Nation?" Aria asked, ignoring the disgust that welled up inside her.

"You think your father would let his name be disgraced so easily? No. The accepted story around the city is that you were visiting the Fire Nation colonies when you were abducted by the avatar. Not only does it save face for your father, it furthers our agenda against the avatar. Even my own crew believes it. Only your family and I know of your idiocy. I wouldn't say you'll be welcomed back either," Zhao said thoughtfully, "I'm sure General Jirou will have a most fitting…greeting…waiting for you when we arrive. Privately of course."

Aria sat silently for a moment, digesting the information he had provided before offering a rebuttal.

"As wonderful as it would be to see my father again, I don't think I'll be going along with your plan. You see, I've got plans of my own and unfortunately they don't coincide. So sorry." Aria said sarcastically.

Zhao raised his glass to her, smiling sardonically.

"To you, Aria."

Aria paused before raising her glass.

"To victory over tyrants."

She said staring at him hard. He grinned and they both drained their glasses. As the last of the wine cleared Aria's lips, she felt something was horribly wrong. The glass slipped out of her fingers and shattered on the floor. Aria lurched to her feet but with the room spinning around her, she lost her balance and fell to the floor. The pain of her hands and knees landing on the broken glass barely registered in her bewildered mind. Her body was shaking violently and her breathing turned to ragged gasps. With wide, astonished eyes, Aria looked up at Zhao who was watching her coolly. Squeezing her eyes shut tight to stop the spinning; she fell to her side and curled up, still shaking horribly.

"I was told the drug was harder on the more powerful benders. I would assume from the way you're reacting, they told me right. I've seen it used on war prisoners with barely any reaction at all. Although, you could hardly call those barbarians benders...We've got a rather clever Earth Kingdom scientist working for us who developed the compound." Zhao stated.

Aria pushed herself to her feet again, swaying slightly. Her eyes widened when she realized she could no longer feel her bending burning beneath the surface. With a snarl, she tried to blast Zhao off his feet but nothing happened. Aria gasped; she had never been without her bending. With an extreme effort, she managed to block out the panicked thoughts and focused on what Zhao was saying.

"It blocks bending completely. Don't worry, it isn't permanent but believe me when I say it will stay in your system more than long enough for my purposes." Zhao explained. Aria stared at him apprehensively; she didn't like the sound of that.

Zhao surveyed Aria holding tightly to the back of the chair for a moment before acting. When Zhao moved toward her, Aria instinctively tried to send a stream of fire at him. Once again nothing happened and the truth seemed to hit Aria in the face. She really didn't have her bending. Zhao's long strides soon had him too close for comfort and Aria swung hard at him. He easily caught her inexperienced punch and used it to pull her closer. Her other wrist was soon in his grip when she once again tried to hit him.

"Good, I'd have been disappointed if you didn't try to fight." Zhao almost purred. He pushed her hard up against the wall and moved his mouth hungrily up her throat while, releasing her wrists, his hands moved over her waist, exploring. Aria pushed against him as hard as she could trying to back him up, but he acted as though he couldn't feel it.

"When my father-" Aria began threateningly. She knew it was probably an empty threat.

"Ha! You're deluded if you think he still has any interest in protecting you." Zhao said, full of mirth.

Zhao pressed harder against her and his caressing lips moved up to her jawline. Aria cried out in pain as Zhao's roving hands became hotter and hotter. Singed holes were appearing in the sides of her shirt where underneath angry red burns appeared on her skin. Zhao's low chuckle told her it was no accident. The pain was intense and Aria gritted her teeth to stop from screaming. Anger boiled in the pit of her stomach; he had taken fire, the one thing she had complete control of, and turned it against her. He paused long enough to whisper in her ear,

"Oh Aria, you've been asking for this for a long time."

"What?" She choked out, unable to comprehend what he meant.

"You're quite the tease, you know that? Strutting around, acting disdainful of everyone, wanting them to look but never allowed to touch. You don't think you could continue with the defiant, hot headed attitude as my wife did you?" Zhao answered in amusement, "No, you need broke and I'm holding the reins. Mmmm, I'm going to enjoy this."

"You don't dare try anything without blocking my bending." Aria spit out, rallying her fighting spirit. "You think you can get in with my father by marrying me? You will never earn his favor! You haven't got the brains or the cunning; you aren't anything but a tool to him. You arrogant-"

Zhao grabbed her face and yanked her violently closer to him.

"You're going to learn a hard, hard lesson" He snarled, only inches from her face.

Aria stared up at him, trying not to show the terror inside. His eyes were filled with the promise of pain and misery for her and she made a desperate bid for freedom, struggling with everything she had. He laughed throatily and easily subdued her with his enormous bulk. His lips crushed down on hers with such force it drove her head back into the wall, making her see stars, and with his hands on her waist, he lifted her up and threw her down on the enormous bed. In a flash, he was on top of her. Straddling her hips, his weight pushed her further down into the bed. He pulled his shirt up over his head and tossed it aside; his muscled chest was already covered in a sheen of sweat. The room was quickly becoming stifling hot. She struggled and fought, trying to get out from under him but her small build was no match for his bulk.

Aria's breath was coming in short, panicked gasps; she had never bothered to learn any defensive skills outside of her bending and now she was paying the price. There was nothing she could do against him; he would take her. Her fury was like a palpable thing, choking her and bringing stinging tears to her eyes. How dare he touch her, Aria, daughter of the highest ranking general in the Fire Nation and fire bending prodigy. That he had the gall to drug her and force himself on her lit a fire in her stomach and she knew with certainty that if she had had her bending then she would have killed him.

As a last ditch effort, Aria started to beg, deciding she'd rather swallow her pride than act as his evening entertainment. There was no stopping him. She could feel the built up tension in his body and a fire was burning in his eyes. He was hungry and only she would sate his appetite. When he pulled back slightly to untie his trousers, Aria managed to pull up her leg and knee him as hard as she could. Zhao only grunted and slapped her hard across the face. Aria's mouth filled with the somewhat metallic taste of blood and she clenched her teeth and started pounding her fists against his chest and head. Swiftly he pinned both of her arms down with only one of his large hands.

Once again, he reached for the fastenings of his trousers and got them undone quickly and moved to hers. He untied them expertly; he was no boy to fumble around, wasting time. His breath was speeding up and his hands clutched at her everywhere; self-control was losing in the battle against lust. Aria's mind was in full panic mode and she was struggling against him ineffectually when the heavy steel door flew open and banged against the wall. One of the soldiers stationed on the ship was standing in the doorway, looking embarrassed.

"Sir-"

"Get out; I'll deal with it later." Zhao interrupted roughly, panting slightly.

"But sir, the avatar's bison has been spotted, landed on Juang Hui Island. It looks like they've made camp there." The soldier said, glancing up timidly at the two on the bed. Aria only hoped he could see she wasn't participating by choice. Zhao growled in frustration and rubbed his hand across his face. It was apparent he did not want to leave Aria as unfinished business. He bent down and kissed her roughly on the mouth before jumping from the bed. Aria sat up and pushed herself against the headboard of the bed; hardly daring to believe she had been spared, at least for now.

"Get the men ready to deploy." Zhao commanded, fastening his trousers again, "Only a skeleton crew remains on the ship. He won't get away this time."

The man bowed and hurried off to carry out Zhao's orders. Clattering footsteps were heard overhead as the men ran for the boats.

"I'll be back soon enough." Zhao said with a malicious smile while quickly dressing himself. He didn't need to say anything more, his meaning was clear. With that he left, closing the door behind him. The audible click of the lock reverberated in Aria's ears and any hope she might have had quickly fled, leaving her shaking and cold. She felt as if she was mentally paralyzed, incoherent, broken thoughts flew through her mind. He had completely dominated her. She couldn't reconcile herself to the weak, helpless person she had just been. After a few minutes, Aria managed to pull herself together and scowled, disgusted with herself. Was she going to cower here and wait for Zhao to come back and finish what he had started? Closing her eyes, she concentrated on feeling her bending but she felt nothing and when trying to do even a simple fire blast, nothing happened. Sighing, she stood to search the room when the sound of footsteps and yelling came from outside.

"This door is locked! She must be in here, stand back and I'll blast it open." Aang's voice shouted.

"Make it fast; I'm willing to bet they noticed Appa flew off." Sokka's voice followed grimly.

The door was blown off the hinges and slammed against the opposite wall by a violent gust of wind. Aria stood gaping at the youths framed in the doorway, stunned at their sudden appearance.

"You came back for me." She stated in amazement, still unmoving.

"Yeah we did, now come on. We don't have a lot of time." Katara said impatiently.

Aria grabbed a cloak Zhao had discarded earlier and swung it over her shoulders, hastily hiding the burns and ragged shirt. She didn't want to go through the embarrassment of explaining what had happened in that room. Soon they were running down the corridors and up stairways, racing to reach the deck. The lack of anyone from the crew left behind trying to stop them confused Aria; that is until they passed a group of unconscious men scattered in the corridor. She couldn't believe she hadn't heard the fight.

Aria emerged from below behind the others and spotted Appa waiting on the deck, illuminated in the light from the half-moon above. A burst of insane laughter escaped from Aria; Zhao had lost this battle! They stopped a moment to catch their breath but Katara's shriek brought them all to the edge of the ship. Zhao's boats were already almost back to the ship; they could see him standing at the forefront of the nearest boat, fury etched into every line of his face. Without a word, they all sprinted for Appa. The thud of the boats against the ship spurred them faster and within moments Aria was vaulting into Appa's saddle. With Appa safely in the air, Aria looked back at the huge navy ship. Zhao was standing on the deck, fists clenched at his side. They stared at each other for a long moment, Aria's hair whipped back and forth in the wind but it did not stop her from reading the grim promise of retribution on his face. Aria turned her back on him defiantly and they were shortly out of view.


	15. Chapter 15

Aria stared into the fire, trying to decide where to begin. In no way did she want to tell them her story that night but she knew she owed it to them and had agreed. They had flown for several hours after escaping Zhao, heading inland where his ship couldn't pursue. During their flight no words had been exchanged; Aria had sat with her head on her knees while the others cast furtive glances in her direction. No one seemed to know what to say. It wasn't until they had set up camp not far out from a small trading village and were seated around the fire that answers had been demanded from Aria.

"Now tell us the truth! All of it!" Katara had demanded.

"And don't lie because you won't get another chance! If Aang hadn't wanted to come back for you, we'd be long gone!" Sokka assured her angrily.

"Come on guys, you agreed to listen to her!" Aang complained. Katara and Sokka had a deep seated mistrust and hatred for the people of the Fire Nation; Aang had been missing for the last hundred years, though he knew the crimes of the Fire Nation, he had not seen it first hand and was more willing to trust.

Aria glanced up at all their faces, they were watching her intently. Her eyes returned to the fire and she watched it licking up the sides of the logs, holding the darkness at bay. With a deep breath, Aria began her story.

"I was born in the Fire Nation Capital. My father…my father is General Jirou." Aria said.

Gasps came from Katara and Sokka and shock crossed across their faces.

"I take it his reputation precedes him." Aria said, smiling without humor.

"Of course we've heard of him!" Sokka exclaimed, "He's a monster, we've heard more about his crimes than the Firelord himself."

"We were told he was behind the attack on the South Pole. The attack that killed my mother…" Katara said quietly.

"Katara, my father is responsible for a lot of things but I honestly don't think that's one of them. He's a General. That means he directs mostly land based attacks, it's more likely to have been an Admiral." Aria said frowning, "Sokka, Firelord Ozai and my father are one in the same. You've heard more about my father because he's directly involved in giving orders, the Firelord operates behind the lines. His will is carried out by others; he doesn't need to get involved."

"Are you sure?" Katara asked seriously.

Aria regarded her silently for several moments before answering.

"No. I can't be sure. I have no idea what orders he's sent out over the years. I just know it isn't probable." Aria answered simply.

"I haven't heard of him!" Aang piped up.

"No you wouldn't have. He wasn't around 100 years ago and you haven't been around long enough now to know him." Aria said wearily.

"Oh man…why couldn't you just say you were from some fishing village or something?" Sokka asked in exasperation.

"I thought you wanted the truth?" Aria asked impatiently. When no one said anything, she continued with her narrative. "I attended the Royal Fire Nation Academy for Girls since I was ten years old. I've been training under the best fire bending masters since I can remember."

"You're a firebender too?" Sokka said scowling.

Aria scowled, this would be easier if she wasn't constantly being interrupted.

"Yes."

"Can you show us?" Aang asked curiously.

"No. I can't. Just…please, can I finish?" Aria sighed. She was exhausted, the burns on her sides were throbbing painfully, and she had no idea when the drug blocking her bending would be out of her system. "When I was fourteen, my father and Firelord Ozai began negotiating a marriage between me and Zuko. I didn't mind so much, we had already been dating for several months. We…love each other."

Aria had been expecting another interruption at this information so she wasn't surprised when the other three all expressed their shock loudly.

"Believe it or not, Zuko isn't inherently evil or bad. He doesn't have a choice. He has been banished until he can bring Aang back as a prisoner. And that's a whole other story." When they showed signs of wanting to ask more questions, Aria continued louder, "After Zuko was banished, I applied myself to my studies and to training. I didn't give my father any reason to complain. Two years after the banishment, my father accepted Zhao's marriage proposal. Zhao wanted my father's favor to further his career. I wasn't going to let that happen so I ran off and got on a navy ship. The Commander on the ship knows everything, we turned into good friends and now he's in some Earth Kingdom prison."

By this time Aria was talking in a monotone and listing off the events as if she had been nothing more than a third party observer during the events. She could feel the turmoil of emotions boiling just below the surface, telling them had affected her more than she thought it would. Everything seemed to hit her at once. Zuko's banishment, her father's brutality, Kon's imprisonment because she had ran instead of standing and fighting, the realization that the loyalty she had felt for her country was misplaced, and Zhao's attack all threatened to pull her under and cause her to breakdown. Her only defense was to push all emotion away and detach herself from the situation.

"That's when you picked me up. Our ship had been attacked by Earth Benders but I escaped. I was shocked when I saw you Aang, I thought you were the answer to all my problems but it all changed. I realized how wrong the Fire Nation is, I couldn't turn you in. I think King Bumi knew that before even I did. When Zhao captured me at the temple, he told me he would put the hunt for the avatar on hold while he took me back to the Capitol where we would be wed. The official story is that you kidnapped me. You were supposed to use the time to get to the North Pole, but thank you. You saved me from an ugly fate." Aria finished in the same, slightly off monotone. She stared into the fire, seemingly lost in thought.

The other three stared at her in amazement. They were all reluctant to say anything, not wanting to break the spell that had seemed to settle over their camp. The fire crackled and popped, sending burning embers flying into the air.

"Aria…what'd Zhao do to you?" Katara asked tentatively, "It's just…your face is all bruised and…"

Aria fixed her eyes on Katara and answered emotionlessly, "He hit me when I got an attitude." With that Aria stood, grabbed her bed roll, and lay down to sleep.

A few hours later, when Aria heard the others steady breathing (or in Sokka's case snoring) she got up silently and made for the small creek about fifty yards into the woods she had spotted from the air when they had arrived. After she had pretended to go to sleep, the other three had discussed what they had heard in hushed voices before laying down and falling asleep. At the edge of the creek, Aria knelt down and unclasped the cloak, letting it fall to the ground. Taking a deep breath, Aria grabbed the bottom of her shirt and started pulling it up over her head. Her shirt had stuck to the burns as they coagulated and Aria steeled herself and yanked it off. A cry escaped from her lips and she doubled over, holding her sides. Pulling the shirt free had caused the burns to break open and bleed and it ran down her sides in warm rivulets.

Without warning, tears welled up and she began to cry uncontrollably. Huge sobs racked her body and she shook horribly. She couldn't keep it suppressed anymore; as all her emotions came to the surface, she sobbed harder. Anger, sadness, shame, weakness, rage; they rose inside her like great serpents, threatening to strangle her. She couldn't rise out of the pit she had fallen into and the tears continued to fall. She flinched when she felt someone's arms around her and tried to jump up; convinced Zhao had somehow found her.

"Aria! Aria, it's ok. It's just me, Katara." Katara cried urgently. Aria sank back down to the ground, still not under control. With Katara's arms around her, Aria slowly began to pull herself together. When at last the sobs abated, Aria pushed herself back into a sitting position and regarded Katara warily, her throat was raw.

"Here, let me help you. Those need cleaned." Katara pulled a worn cloth out of her pocket and soaked it in the creek. When the icy water touched Aria's side she flinched involuntarily and sucked in air, trying not to cry out. It was strange; though the touch of the rag made Aria's sides throb in pain, the cold water soothed the burning. Aria stared unseeingly into the forest, declining to make conversation and Katara did not push her to talk. The cold night air raised goose bumps on Aria's arms but she barely noticed. When Katara was finished she tossed aside the ruined rag and sat back. "It'll be better not to wrap it up, the air need to get to it so it will heal faster. I'll see what I can do about your shirt in the morning."

"Thank you." Aria said hollowly, still not looking at her. Katara remained where she was, watching Aria carefully. After another minute had passed and still Aria did not move, Katara scooted closer.

"Aria, what happened on that ship?" Katara asked urgently, staring at her in concern. Aria said nothing but more tears fell swiftly down her face. "Why won't you tell me?"

"He tried to force himself on me!" It burst out of Aria so suddenly that she surprised herself. Her breath sped up to panicky gasps and the rest of the story came spilling out in shaky, fearful words. "He drugged me; I don't know what it was. Something that blocks bending, he said some Earth Kingdom Scientist developed it for them. And then…when I couldn't bend anymore," Aria's voice lowered to a broken whisper. Everything that happened was running through her head; she could see it as clearly as though it was happening all over again and could almost feel his breath on her neck. "he attacked me."

"He laughed as he burnt me; thought it was funny when I screamed. Said I deserved it, that I was a tease. I didn't know what to do; I've never been without my bending. It was like he didn't even feel me hitting him. And then he was about to do it. He had me on the bed when a soldier came. He said he spotted you guys…camping on an island. He left, promising to finish what he started."

Aria fell silent again, her eyes focused down on her hands. Katara was sickened by this tale of brutality and didn't know what to say.

"I've made a mess of everything." Aria said so quietly Katara almost missed it. "Zuko was there in the temple. I had my chance to talk to him, to make him understand how wrong the Fire Nation is, how wrong we were, and I blew it. He probably thinks I'm a traitor now…We'll never be together. Unless he can capture Aang. And I can't let that happen now either. Zuko's honor means so much to him, I don't think he'll ever back down."

Aria took a long, hitching breath before continuing. It seemed there was no stopping the words coming out of her mouth now that they had started.

"And Kon…he risked his career, even his life to take me on his ship and I left him! It's my fault that Kon's an Earth Kingdom prisoner now. If he's not dead! Who knows, maybe they killed him! He told me to run. I should have stayed and fought. I could have helped him. I know I could have helped him. Katara, I have to try and find him." Aria had worked herself up again and was close to tears. She stopped talking for several minutes, her mind running at incredible speeds.

"If I ever go back to the Fire Nation my father will kill me. He'd rather I be dead than a traitor. I can just imagine how furious he'll be when he finds out Zhao lost me again. If he doesn't kill me, I'm willing to bet I'll wish I'm dead." Aria said absently, almost seeming to talk to herself.

Suddenly Aria's face hardened and her eyes flashed dangerously.

"I will never be in their power again. Never!"

Katara listened to Aria without interrupting. It was hard to listen to such a horrifying tale and hate towards the ruthless Navy Commander filled her. She didn't know who Kon was and she couldn't believe Aria was in love with Zuko but now that Aria was talking, she wasn't about to interrupt. After Aria had been sitting listlessly for several minutes without talking, Katara hesitantly reached out and put her arm around her once more. Aria flinched violently at her touch but made no move to pull away.

"Aria, none of that was your fault. Your father and Zhao both wanted to turn you into the perfect Fire Nation citizen in their eyes; a monster. It would have been so easy for you to go that route and become one of those people who are ruining people's lives but you didn't! You fought against them and even though the consequences are hard, think about the good you're doing! Everything's going to be ok; I'll help you find Kon. I promise we'll try; we'll stop at all the towns we pass and search the prisons. And from now on don't worry about what your father or Zhao…or even Zuko want for your future. Lead your life how you want to." Katara said pityingly.

Aria couldn't stand the look of horror and pity on Katara's face and she shrugged her arm off and turned away from her. Climbing gracefully to her feet, Aria walked several paces away from Katara who was still kneeling on the ground. When Aria finally turned to face Katara once more, Aria's face was a carefully composed mask, showing nothing of the intense emotion she had been feeling earlier.

"Katara, unless Aang can win this war my future has been decided." Aria said emotionlessly. "Aang has to beat the Firelord. I know what the Firelord and my father want for the world and it isn't a world you'll want to live in."

Together the girls walked back to their camp spot, not saying a word. Aria felt numb, drained and empty, as if she had used up all the feeling inside of her. It was an effort to put one foot in front of the other; all she wanted was to curl up in her bed roll and be left alone. It wasn't long and they were sneaking past a snoring Sokka and sleeping Aang. They went their separate ways, each to their own beds. Aria lay down and looked up at the stars; thankfully her thoughts seemed oddly muted and she was able to dismiss them.

"Katara?" Aria whispered.

"Yeah?" Katara answered, equally quiet.

"Thank you for…everything."


	16. Chapter 16

**So I feel like I dropped the ball on this one…sorry guys. I promise I'll do better. Thank you for all the reviews! I really do appreciate it. **

Unable to ignore the bird song any longer, Aria opened her eyes, looking up at the canopy of trees above. She was exhausted; Zhao's continual presence in her dreams that night ensured Aria got little sleep. Remaining completely still, she felt for her bending, desperate to feel it burning inside but was bitterly disappointed. She took a deep breath and sat up, looking around the campsite. On the far side of the now dead fire, Appa and Momo fought for a piece of melon, growling angrily. Katara sat with her head bent over something in her lap and Sokka and Aang were nowhere to be seen. When Aria got stiffly to her feet, Katara put aside what she was working on and crossed the space over to Aria.

"How are your sides feeling?" Katara asked. She studied Aria's face carefully, as if trying to determine what was going on in her mind. Aria carefully looked away, unwilling to discuss last night.

"It hurts but not as bad as yesterday." Aria lied. In reality, they were throbbing painfully.

"Do you mind if I look?" Katara asked. When Aria nodded her assent, Katara pushed the cloak back and examined the burns closely. "I guess it looks ok…I brought some medicine from the South Pole that will help with the pain."

"That would be great." Aria said gratefully. She kneeled down and started rolling up her borrowed bed roll. Irritated, she thought of her bag that had been left on the Fire Nation Navy ship; it contained all of the supplies she had packed and now she didn't know what to do a about a shirt. At least she still had her money she told herself, trying to stay positive; she had shoved it down into the side of her boot when the Earth Kingdom had attacked.

Katara had rummaged through her own pack, bringing out a small, brown gnarled root and was waiting patiently for Aria to finish. Getting to her feet, Aria took the unappetizing root offered to her and looked questioningly at Katara.

"Normally we boil it and make a tea, improves the taste." Katara said, "It'll be a lot faster if you just eat it."

Aria looked doubtfully at the small root in her hand; it didn't look like something she'd want to stick in her mouth. Hesitantly, she put it on the side of her mouth, between her molars, and bit down. Her teeth barely penetrated and she sawed her jaw back and forth until a piece finally broke off. A strong bitter taste filled her mouth and she almost gagged. Stubbornly, she continued chewing on it until her jaw was tired and she could swallow. Grimacing in disgust, Aria ate the rest as quickly as she could.

"Where'd you even find that?" Aria asked, rubbing her jaw. "I wasn't under the impression the South Pole really even grew vegetation."

"Well we have to trade for them." Katara stated as if it were obvious. "And I fixed your shirt. There wasn't much material to work with so it doesn't look the best…"

She picked up what she had been working on earlier and tossed it to Aria. Aria held her shirt up and examined the stitching; she had no idea how Katara could get the stitches so tight and even. Gingerly she pulled it down over her head, wincing when it dragged over her burns.

"Thank you." Aria said, happy to have something to wear, no matter what it looked like. Savagely she threw the cloak she had taken from Zhao's room to the ground. It smelled of him and she felt disgusted; she suspected that was part of the reason he had invaded her dreams so thoroughly last night. After several moments, her logical side prevailed and she grudgingly picked it up. The nights were still cool and it was made from quality material.

It was then that Aang came out of the surrounding woods, light on his feet. Snapping branches and rustling dead leaves, Sokka followed behind. When the two boys arrived at the edge of the campsite they stopped talking, looking embarrassed. It was clear they had been discussing Aria. _Who could blame them?_ Aria though dully. They were given a lot of information to digest last night.

"Er...hi." Sokka said awkwardly, scratching the back of his head.

"We went looking for some extra food but it's too early for berries…" Aang said disappointedly. The young airbender sat cross legged on the ground, leaning against Appa. He seemed content to sit and play with Momo but Katara quickly put an end to that idea.

"We need to get going. At this rate we're not going to make it to the North Pole until next winter." Katara said briskly. Aang blanched and immediately jumped to his feet, throwing their packs onto Appa with frantic energy. Within minutes, they were flying through the air; Sokka held the reins, directing Appa in the right direction.

Aria stared at Aang in bewilderment; he had not stopped moving since the moment Katara had announced they needed to go. He paced back and forth in the limited amount of space he had, breathing heavily.

"Would you sit down? If we hit a bump you'll go flying." Sokka "What's bugging you anyways?"

"It's what Avatar Roku said!" Aang cried, "I'm supposed to master all four elements before that comet arrives." Aria felt a quick pang of guilt; with everything that had happened she had forgotten about the whole point of going to the Crescent Aisle in the first place.

"Sozin's Comet!" Aria exclaimed. For over a year she had been impatiently awaiting the arrival of the comet; every firebender in the Nation was. When the comet came it imbued every firebender with power tenfold, making even the most mediocre benders almost unstoppable. Firelord Sozin, Zuko's grandfather, had used the last comet to wipe out the Air Nomads, causing it to forever be known as Sozin's comet. Only once in a hundred years did firebenders get the chance to feel such power. Back home, Aria looked forward to the comet only for the sheer joy of wielding such a power; she was just realizing what the arrival of the comet meant for the rest of the world. "Oh Aang…it'll be here by the end of the summer..."

Aria was never much of a pessimist but the prospect of mastering all four elements in a matter of months seemed like an insurmountable task. It should take Aang years to properly master the four elements.

"Well you pretty much mastered airbending and that only took 112 years. I'm sure you can master three more elements by next summer." Sokka said, trying to lighten the mood.

"I haven't even started waterbending and we're still weeks away from the North Pole! What am I going to do?" Aang cried, still pacing back and forth.

"Calm down, it's going to be ok." Katara said comfortingly. She grabbed his arm and pulled him down next to her. "If you want I can try and teach you some of the stuff I know."

"You'd do that?" Aang asked hopefully.

"We'd need to find a good source of water first." Katara said, peering over the side of Appa.

"Maybe we can find a puddle for you to splash in." Sokka said, still not taking things seriously.

"It can't be that hard," Aria mused, also looking over the edge, "the creek we camped near had to be fed by something…or empty into something…"

Aria followed the ribbon of water winding along through the trees below with her eyes; not far ahead it seemed to suddenly stop and Aria narrowed her eyes, trying to discern what she was seeing. They were soon passing over the spot and they quickly decided it was the place to stop. The creek had strengthened into a good sized river and spilled over the side of a cliff. A low roar filled their ears as the water crashed down, causing a large cloud of mist to rise into the air. Appa landed and the group quickly dismounted.

"Nice puddle." Sokka observed dryly. Aria glanced over at Katara and Aang and chuckled; their faces were lit up in sheer joy at the prospect of practicing their bending. With a gigantic splash, Appa bounded into the water and rolled over onto his back with a groan. In a flash Aang stripped down to his undergarments, ready to swim with his giant friend.

"Don't go without me boy!" He shouted happily.

"Remember the reason we're here." Katara reminded him.

"Oh right." Aang said, getting dressed again. "Time to practice waterbending."

"Ok so what am I supposed to do?" Sokka asked.

"You could clean the gunk out of Appa's toes…" Aang suggested, holding up a branch.

Aria walked a few yards down the river and sat down with her legs crossed; there was no way she was cleaning out Appa's toes. Instead she closed her eyes and focused on her bending; breathing in and out calmly and slowly. It was frustrating not to have access to her bending and she felt helpless without it. She tuned out the background noise of Sokka, Katara, and Aang and instead listened to the steady rhythm of her breathing. Totally absorbed in herself, she moved inward feeling and probing for the fire within; not even her stinging sides could distract her. After several minutes her attention was caught; there was something there. Almost like a burning ember inside and Aria almost cried in relief but quickly contained herself, afraid to lose the feeling; it wasn't gone! Though Zhao had told her it wasn't permanent but nonetheless she had harbored a deep fear that she'd never bend again and the sense of relief was almost overwhelming. This small ember was nowhere near the blazing inferno she was usually filled with but it was something. When she tried to access it, however, there seemed to be a wall, preventing her from actually using it. _Not for long, _Aria thought joyfully, _I can feel it, the drug is wearing off. _

As focused as she was, she was unaware of the surge of water bearing down on her. Shocked, Aria jumped to her feet soaked when the water reached her. She was thoroughly disoriented and stared around, unsure of what to do. Aang had summoned a great wave that came crashing down on Appa and Sokka, washing all their supplies downstream with it. Aria's eyes came to a rest on Aang who stood smiling sheepishly.

"What was that?" Aria demanded irritably.

"That's enough practice for the day." Katara said. Aria was unsure why Katara also looked irritated; she was completely dry.

"You just practiced our supplies down river!" Sokka complained.

"Yeah…sorry…I'm sure we can find somewhere to replace all this stuff…" Aang said guiltily.

"It was hard enough when you were just an airbender." Sokka complained.

"We passed that trading village on the shore on our way here…" Aria mentioned. She was reluctant to go back to the shore as Zhao could easily be there but the prospect of purchasing her own supplies finally was alluring. "That's probably the surest bet."

"Then let's get going." Katara said, still sounding annoyed.

Staying together in a group, they walked the streets of the shabby village. The small vendor's stands lining the road had crudely repaired roofs and smelled of mildew and rotten wood. Though the stands were in poor repair, the vendors proudly displayed their wares, shouting out at the passersby. Aria was sure she had never seen such a variety of things in one place. Despite the multitude of goods, Aria was unimpressed and she stared around in disgust. This place was crawling with leering men who without a stretch of the imagination looked to be on the wrong side of the law.

"We've got exactly three copper pieces left from the money King Bumy gave us." Sokka announced. "Let's spend it wisely."

"Uh…make that two copper pieces Sokka." Aang responded, holding up a small, bison shaped whistle. "I couldn't say no to this whistle."

"It doesn't even work!" Sokka said when Aang blew the whistle. No sound had come out and the only result was Momo chattering agitatedly in Aang's ear.

"See? Even Momo thinks it's a piece of junk." Sokka pointed out.

"No offense Aang, but I'll hold the money from now on." Katara said to a put out Aang. Reluctantly Aang dug in his pockets and pulled the rest of the money out, handing it to Katara.

"I've got money." Aria said, pulling the respectable sized bag of coin out of her boot. "If the vendors will take Fire Nation money…"

"Where'd you get that?" Sokka asked, staring with wide eyes at the rectangular gold pieces.

"I won it when I was on the ship." Aria answered, thinking with a pang of Commander Kon.

Together they walked the streets and, though she got several dirty looks, none of the shop keepers had a problem snatching up the gold pieces she offered them. It wasn't long and Aria was equipped with a new pack, her own bedroll, salve for her burns, and, oddly enough, a couple extra sets of clothes in the Fire Nation style. Briefly she had considered buying Earth Kingdom clothes at Katara and Sokka's urging but had discarded the idea. She wasn't going to hide who or what she was any longer.

"Earth Nation! Fire Nation! Water Nation! As long as bargains are your inclination, you're welcome here!" A questionable looking man was shouting. He stood in front of a good sized ship, trying to lure buyers in. "Don't be shy, come on by!"

Aria was disinclined to listen to such a seedy looking man and made to keep moving when she was accosted by him. He sprinted over and grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop. Aria almost panicked, flashing back to when Zhao had handled her so roughly but he let go almost immediately and she reluctantly relaxed again.

"Ah, you there! I can see from your clothing that you are world traveling types! Perhaps I can interest you in some exotic curios?" The man asked. Aria took in his pierced ears, long, unkempt hair, and rotten teeth and shook her head, indicating she wasn't interested.

"Sure! What are curios?" Aang answered brightly.

"Aang, I don't think they sell anything we need." Aria said pointedly. The irritating man gave her a nasty look and turned his attention back to Aang.

"I'm not entirely sure…but we've got em!" He answered with a large, teeth baring smile. He put his arm around Aang and forcefully steered him to the ship. Resigned, the other three followed behind and entered the ship.

Inside was crowded with and an odd assortment of goods, organized with no rhyme or reason. They browsed the shelves crowded with artifacts that seemed to come from all over the world. A glint of metal caught her eye and she walked over to it, curious. With a tremendous effort, she unearthed a long, ornate sword from under a pile of junk. A large jewel on the pommel of the sword had been sticking out and had been what she noticed. Intrigued, she weighed it in her hands, examining the entire length. It could do some damage.

"Hey Sokka, do you think you could teach me to use this?" Aria asked, holding up the sword. Her arm shook from the weight of it as she waited for Sokka's reply. If she knew how to wield it Zhao would think twice before attacking her.

"Have you ever seen me use a sword?" Sokka asked.

"No…" Aria answered, finally lowering the sword.

"Then what do you think?" Sokka answered snottily. Aria made a face and caught up with Katara. She stood with her head bent; intently reading a small scroll and Aria looked over her shoulder intrigued by the delicate drawings of water benders.

"Look at this Aang! It's a waterbending scroll!" Katara cried to Aang, "Check out these crazy moves!"

"Where did you get a waterbending scroll?" Aang asked eagerly. An older man with long gray hair approached, some sort of bird, reptile on his shoulder. Aria eyed the creature dubiously; it looked mean.

"Let's just say I got it up north, at a most reasonable price. Free." The man said in a gruff voice. He reached over and snatched the scroll away from Katara, rolling it up it the process. He stuck it back where Katara had found it and stepped back, adjusting the sword hanging off his hip.

"Wait a minute…sea loving traders, with suspiciously acquired merchandise, and pet reptile birds…you guys are pirates!" Sokka cried, turning to face the man who had drawn them in.

"We prefer to think of ourselves as…high risk traitors." The man answered, putting an arm around Sokka. Sokka seemed uncomfortable in the extreme and wiggled out from under the man's arm. Aria crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, waiting for the others to decide to leave.

"So how much for the uh…traded scroll?" Katara asked, weighing the two copper pieces in her hand.

"I've already got a buyer." The man, Aria was willing to bet, who was the Captain of the ship. The reptile bird sat on his shoulder, eyeing Katara balefully. "A nobleman in the Earth Kingdom. Unless, of course, you kids have two hundred gold pieces on you right now."

Katara looked questioningly at Aria, begging with her eyes for the money to buy the scroll. Doubtfully Aria looked into the bag of money; it had lightened considerably from buying the supplies they needed and there was no longer enough money to buy the scroll.

"Sorry Katara, we spent most of it earlier." Aria said, shaking her head. Secretly she doubted she'd waste her money on that anyway.

"Don't worry Katara; I know how to handle these people. Pirates love to haggle." Aang said confidently. Aria smiled at his confidence; there was no way he was getting that scroll. Katara handed Aang the money without a word. Aria listened as Aang attempted to buy the scroll for two copper pieces but said nothing. She frowned when the man started getting angry, hoping they could get off the ship before anything happened.

"Aang, can we get out of here? I feel like we're getting weird looks…" Katara said, looking around paranoid. Aria looked around, her brows raised; there were only two other people in here and they certainly weren't giving them any looks. Together they headed for the exit, still glancing at the merchandise as they walked by.

"What was that all about Katara?" Aang asked as they walked down the gang plank.

"Yeah, I was just starting to browse through their boomerang collection!" Sokka added on.

"We shouldn't have gone in there in the first place, those men are creeps." Aria disagreed.

"I'll just feel a lot better once we get away from here." Katara answered, wrapping her arms around herself. They had gotten a ways down the dock when a shout behind them made them stop. Turning around, Aria saw the seedy man running after them.

"Hey you! Get back here!"

Growling fiercely, the whole crew jumped down onto the dock, wielding knives and spears. Aria's eyes widened, what was going on? Suspicion filled Aria and she turned to look at Katara who shrugged.

"Nobody's going anywhere." One of the men yelled. The pirates advanced menacingly and choosing not to fight, the kids ran. Zigzagging through streets and pushing through people they sprinted, pursued closely by the pirates. Katara and Aang managed to stop a few with their bending but still more followed. How big is this crew? Aria thought angrily. It was obvious they were outnumbered.

Aria skidded to a stop, barely managing to keep her balance; they had run into a dead end. Again. At that moment Aria made a mental note to not let Aang lead if they were running for their lives anymore. The pirates slowed to a walk, certain of their victory. Aria backed up as far as she could, feeling the rough wood of the wall behind her; Aang and Katara needed to get bending. Seeming to deliberate for a moment, Aang ran at the pirates, his staff snapping open to the glider concealed inside.

"Grab on tight!" Aang ordered. Without question, the three grabbed a part of the glider. Aria felt her feet leave the ground and she tightened her grip, remembering the last time she had lost her grip and fallen. Stupidly, she looked down at the ground below and almost panicked. They were high above the ground, flying over buildings that would certainly be a painful landing were she to fall. She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists around the glider, remaining that way for the rest of the ride. When her feet finally touched the ground back at the river bank, Aria was flooded with relief; it wasn't an experience she wanted to repeat.

"I used to kind of look up to pirates but those guys were just bad." Aang said, flopping down on the ground.

"I know, that's why I took this." Katara said sneakily, pulling the scroll out of her sleeve. Aria's jaw dropped; she couldn't believe Katara had stolen it.

"No way." Aang said, jumping to his feet again.

"Isn't it great?" Katara cried.

"No wonder they were trying to hack us up! You stole their waterbending scroll!" Sokka said angrily.

"I prefer to think of it as…high risk trading." Katara retorted cockily. "Sokka, where do you think they got it? They stole it from a water bender."

"Katara, we're going to be at the North Pole in a matter of weeks and you couldn't wait to learn waterbending that long?" Aria asked in exasperation, "How are you going to look at pictures and figure it out anyway? You need a master."

"It doesn't matter; you put all our lives in danger just so you could learn some stupid, fancy splashes!" Sokka answered.

"These are real water bending forms. You know how crucial it is for Aang to learn waterbending!" Katara said.

"What's done is done. We have it, we might as well learn from it." Aang said peacekeeping.

"I'm not so sure it's done." Aria pondered, "They're going to want that scroll back."

Later that evening, Aria watched as Katara practiced the forms on the scroll. She wasn't surprised Katara was having a difficult time, sure the scroll could be an invaluable training tool but without a master to critique her form she would not get far. Darkness had fallen before Katara finally called it quits and they got ready to sleep. In her new bedroll, Aria watched the fire, intrigued, as always, by the way it seemed alive. She loved fire and never tired of looking at it. The last thing she saw before her eyes became heavy and drifted shut was the orange and yellow flames reaching into the sky.

"Where did she go?" Sokka exclaimed. Aria sat up and looked around groggily, annoyed at being woken up.

"What's wrong?" Aang asked, also waking up.

"She took the scroll!" Sokka cried.

"Who cares?" Aria asked, scowling. "She's a water bender, wouldn't it be natural for her to want to learn? Just go back to sleep, she'll be back when she's done."

"She's obsessed with that thing! It's just a matter of time before she gets us all in deep-AHHH" Sokka's scream was plenty motivation for Aria to wake up and she leapt to her feet. Their camp was surrounded by pirates. Sokka grabbed his club and ran at the closest pirate but was quickly cast aside. Turning, Aria saw Aang being drug away in a net and tried to sprint after him but was brought down, landing hard on her stomach and face. Warm blood spurted from her nose and ran down her chin and neck and Aria cursed. Her feet and legs had been tangled in a long rope ending in a weight wielded by one of the pirates. Before she could untangle herself the pirates shot a net at her and she was drug away, Sokka not far behind.

Aria stood with bits of twig and leaves in her hair, her hands bound behind her. Her sides were again throbbing painfully as the scabs had cracked open when she was being dragged. Blood covered her lower face and saturated the collar of her shirt but thankfully the bleeding had stopped. When they had reached the ship Katara was spotted tied to a tree and Aria groaned; this kept getting better. And that was when she spotted Zuko and a contingent of his soldiers waiting for them. Though she was glad to see him, she was terrified of the possibility that he wouldn't listen.

"Aang this is all my fault." Katara said miserably.

"No Katara, it isn't." Aang reassured her.

"Yeah it kind of is." General Iroh said. Aria chuckled quietly and unintentionally drew attention to herself.

"Aria! What a pleasant surprise. Zuko was worried about you." Iroh said warmly as if they were meeting under pleasant circumstances. Zuko's gaze instantly zeroed in on her and a mix of emotions passed across his face; relief, shock, and confusion.

"Aria, I couldn't find you when the temple started falling apart! What happened?" Zuko demanded, "Untie her, she's with me."

The Captain of the ship stepped forward looking smug and crossed his arms.

"That's going to be a problem. See, we've been getting visits from the Fire Nation, telling us to look out for a young girl dressed as a Fire Nation soldier. I'm willing to bet this is her. How much do you think she's worth? They must want her pretty badly." He said smugly. Not they, _him, _Aria thought angrily.

"What?" Zuko spit out, clenching his fists.

"Zuko, tell them to untie the avatar and the water tribe kids too." Aria stated. "You can't take them in."

Zuko either didn't hear her or chose not to listen; he took a step forward, his body language advertising his extreme anger.

"Give me the boy." He growled, "And let her go. Now."

"You give us the scroll and we'll give you the boy." The Captain answered.

"You're really going to hand over the avatar for a stupid piece of parchment?" Sokka asked incredulously.

"Don't listen to him; he's trying to turn us against each other." Zuko said.

"Your friend is the avatar?" The Captain asked ponderously. With a malicious smile he turned back to Zuko, "Looks like we've got two people who'd be of value to the Fire Nation soldiers. Keep the scroll; we can buy a hundred with the money we get for these two."

"You'll regret breaking a deal with me." Zuko snarled. Together, he and his soldiers stepped forward and performed a roundhouse kick, sending fire at the group of pirates. The pirates threw down small balls that exploded and enveloped the surrounding area in a thick cloud of smoke. The ensuing fight was chaos; visibility was zero and the screams of injured men issued from the smoke. Aria found a discarded spear sticking in the ground and quickly rubbed her bonds against the sharp end. Swearing when she slipped and cut her wrist, she rubbed harder, desperate to get free. At last the rope broke and she ran through the smoke, searching for Zuko. After several narrow misses from bursts of flame and flying weapons, she found him fighting the pirate captain. Grabbing the back of his shirt, she dragged him back out of the cloud of smoke and threw him on the ground in one swift movement. Quickly she sat on his chest before he could get up again.

"Aria, what's going on?" Zuko demanded, "Why are you with the avatar?"

"Zuko, it's time for you to listen." Aria said determinedly, looking down at him. "You cannot take the avatar to your father."

"What? Are you crazy?" Zuko interrupted.

"Just listen! We're wrong. The Fire Nation is wrong. I've been traveling with the avatar and I've seen and talked to the people of the Earth Kingdom and they hate us! As soon as they see me coming wearing the red and black of the Fire Nation they look at me with revulsion and suspicion. We're not improving lives; we're ruining them." Aria said emphatically.

"Aria, what are you talking about? How could you say that?" Zuko asked, looking at Aria as if she'd lost her mind. "They're just peasants. Filthy, ignorant peasants. They're too stupid to realize we're helping them!"

"But we're not helping them! This is a war, people are dying! They have their own culture and way of doing things, why do we need to impose ours?" Aria pressed.

"Aria, it's your turn to listen. I don't know how you came to be with the avatar but he has brainwashed you! You don't really believe all of that! Just come with me, you'll be back with your own county people and we'll help you think straight again. Everything will be ok." Zuko said urgently.

"He didn't brainwash me, he opened my eyes." Aria answered. "He's just a little boy! You can't take him to your father! You know as well as I do what will happen to him."

"You're confused Aria." Zuko bucked his hips up, displacing Aria onto the ground. In a flash, Zuko was sitting on her; their positions reversed. "I've got the avatar in my hands. As soon as we take care of these pirates he's going back to the Fire Nation. You are too. I don't know what he did to you but we'll get it sorted out, get you thinking straight again. Everything's going to be fine; I can finally go home and everything will be back to normal." He bent down and kissed her gently before jumping to his feet and rejoining the fight.

Aria sat up, feeling wretched. She had finally been able to talk to Zuko and he refused to listen. Taking a large, hitched breath, she made to stand up when Sokka and Aang came hurtling out of the smoke.

"Aria, there you are!" Aang yelled.

"Come on, let's go!" Sokka shouted, offering a hand to help her up. Aria scrambled to her feet, pushing away her thoughts of Zuko, and ran in the direction of the ships.

"Katara you're ok!" Aang cried. Katara was pushing against the pirates' beached ship, trying to get it back in the water.

"How'd you get loose?" Aria asked distractedly.

"Help me get this boat in the water so we can get out of here." She cried urgently, ignoring Aria.

The four dug in and pushed as hard as they could but it didn't budge. Aria glanced back at the fight; so far it seemed like no one noticed they were trying to pirate the ship.

"We need a team of rhino's to budge this ship." Sokka said.

"A team of rhino's…or two water benders." Aang said. Working together, Aang and Katara managed to raise the water level, floating the ship. As quickly as they could, the group scrambled up the rope ladder hanging from the ship and were quickly headed down stream. Aria looked stumped at the sails and rigging of the ship; she had no idea how to sail one of these things. As a result, the ship went where the current took it; the kids were mere passengers and subjected to the whims of the current.

"Sokka, can't you make it go any faster?" Aang yelled. The pirates had taken Zuko's boat and were gaining fast. Sokka stood at the helm, attempting to keep them from colliding with the bank of the river. Aria rubbed her head; a headache was quickly forming. Vaguely she wondered what Zuko must think about her right now but quickly pushed the thought away; she had more pressing things to worry about right now. The pirates were boarding the ship.

"I don't know how, this thing wasn't made by the water tribe!" Sokka answered panicky.

With a thump, the first of the pirates landed on deck and attacked. Though Katara backed up timidly, Aang summoned a large wave that washed several of the pirates overboard. That was when Aria lost track of the others as several of the pirates rushed her and she was forced to defend herself. Jumping as high as she could, she managed to grab ahold of a hanging rope. The first pirate was knocked to the deck when Aria swung forward, catching him square in the face with her boot. Aria wasn't so lucky with the others; a large, bare chested man ducked underneath as she swung forward again and grabbed her ankle. He yanked hard and she lost her grip on the rope, falling heavily on the deck. Before they could do anymore damage Aang appeared and swept them off the ship with a blast of air. Katara's panicked shout directed their attention to the side of the boat; they were quickly approaching a large waterfall.

"Oh no…" Aang moaned.

"Aang, behind you!" Aria warned. One of the last pirates was approaching from behind, sword raised. Aang swung around and instead of attacking, pulled the whistle he purchased earlier out of his pocket and blew hard. Aria frowned; what was he doing?

"Have you lost your mind?" Sokka yelled, tackling the pirate and throwing him overboard. Aria ran to the side of the ship and looked out; they were dangerously close to the edge of the waterfall.

"We can stop the boat! Aang, together; push and pull the water!" Katara shouted. In synchronization, Aang and Katara moved back and forth, moving the water. Slowly the ship came to a stop in the middle of the water, held there by the waterbenders going against the current.

"We're doing it!" Katara said eagerly.

"Yeah…but what now?" Aria asked. They were sitting in the middle of the river with nowhere to go.

"And we've got a bigger problem." Sokka pointed out. The boat the pirates had stolen from Zuko was approaching, aimed at the middle of their ship. Within moments, the boat plowed into the side of the ship, tipping the ship up onto the side. The kids slid down the severely angled deck, wide eyes watching the roaring water now only feet away. In another second the ship was completely overturned and they went flying over the side of the waterfall. Aria screamed as she pelted toward the ground, her heart in her throat. Shock was the only emotion that was registering when Appa appeared out of nowhere and flew underneath the falling kids. Aria grabbed the saddle and held on so hard her knuckles turned white. When she landed on the saddle she lay on her back, her heart pounding. Leaving home had definitely been bad for her health she thought humorously. She started giggling in sheer relief at being safe on Appa and couldn't stop.

"What are you laughing at?" Sokka asked crossly.

"I don't know, I'm alive. You're alive. We got away." Aria answered breathlessly.

"So? In case you've forgotten Zuko's still out there and he's bound to catch up with us again!" Sokka answered crossly, still shaken from free falling off the waterfall. Aria instantly stopped laughing and sat back with her arms crossed; the mention of Zuko had instantly killed her mood. If neither of them were willing to compromise, where did they stand?

"I knew a bison whistle would come in handy." Aang said happily. "Thanks Appa!"


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey, I'm so sorry for taking so long. I don't have a very good reason either, just school and work. So again I'm really sorry. Also, I've got to say, I have been watching the new Avatar Korra show and it's depressing! Everybody is dead…except Katara…makes me sad. Anyways, let me know how this one goes over. Thanks for reading!**

The sun was just beginning to shine through the branches overhead when the kids finished packing their supplies and were ready to continue on to the North Pole. Though it was still cool under the wide reaching branches, the air was filled with the promise of a balmy spring day. Appa rooted through the layer of crackly dead leaves, searching out the tender green shoots emerging from the ground. Buckling her pack shut, Aria stood and stretched her arms above her head, glad her sides were healed enough that it didn't cause unbearable pain. Ready to leave, she checked the fire, extinguishing any still smoking embers.

"Where's Momo?" Aang asked peering around the clearing they had camped in the previous night. Before anyone made a move to search for the quirky little lemur a high pitched cry was heard in further in the forest. Following Aang, the others quickly zeroed in on the frantic chattering and emerged into another, slightly smaller forest clearing.

Aria stared up at the canopy of trees high above; spherical metal traps hung from the branches, swaying slightly in the breeze. Momo's high, irritating chatter issued from the inside of one of the traps and Aang lost no time in airbending to the top of the trees. Reversing the pulley mechanics, Aang carefully lowered the trap to the ground where Sokka and Katara released Momo. Taking another couple of minutes, Aang released two other trapped, baboon like animals that lost no time in disappearing into the forest.

"These are Fire Nation traps." Sokka said, inspecting the twisted metal. "I can tell from the metal work."

"What's the difference between Fire Nation metal working and the rest of the world?" Aria asked curiously.

"The Fire Nation is actually quite a bit more advanced in their metal working." Sokka said grudgingly. "We better get going."

Making their way back to where Appa stood waiting, Katara, Aang, and Aria made to throw their packs into Appa's saddle, eager to make up lost time.

"No flying this time." Sokka commanded.

"Why wouldn't we fly?" Aang asked confusedly.

"Think about it, somehow Zuko and the Fire Nation keep finding us. It's because they spot Appa, he's just too noticeable." Sokka pointed out.

"What? Appa's not too noticeable." Katara exclaimed.

"He's a gigantic flying monster with an arrow on his head! It's kinda hard to miss him." Sokka retorted.

"Ok Sokka, how's this gigantic flying monster going to fit through all these trees if we're walking? Like you said, he's gigantic." Aria asked logically. Appa roared as if to second what Aria said.

"Sokka's just jealous because he doesn't have an arrow on his head." Aang consoled Appa, rubbing his head.

"You all want to fly but my instincts tell me we should play it safe this time and walk." Sokka maintained stubbornly.

"Didn't we already talk about how time is of essence? We need to get to the North Pole as fast as possible. Walking isn't as fast as possible. The comet will be here and we'll still be busy hiking cross country while the Firelord's burning down the forest around us." Aria argued.

"Who made you the boss anyways?" Katara asked.

"I'm not the boss, I'm the leader." Sokka answered. Aria raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms. Sokka was probably the last person in this group she would follow.

"You're the leader? But your voice still cracks!" Katara argued incredulously.

"I'm the oldest and I'm a warrior so I'm the leader." Sokka cried angrily.

"Um…actually you're not the oldest." Aria pointed out, "I'm almost seventeen. Does that mean I'm the leader?" She asked sarcastically. Sokka scowled but said nothing.

"If anyone's the leader it's Aang." Katara insisted. "I mean, he is the avatar."

"Are you kidding? He's just a goofy kid!" Sokka said bullheadedly.

"He's right…" Aang piped up.

"Why do boys always think there needs to be a leader?" Katara asked exasperatedly. "I bet you wouldn't be so bossy if you'd kissed a girl."

Aria rolled her eyes and shouldered her pack, resigned to walking. Though she agreed with Katara she couldn't see how kissing a girl would affect anything and discarded the argument as stupid and immature. Though they got along wonderfully, sometimes the age difference between Katara and Aria showed.

"Look, my instincts tell me that we have a better chance of slipping through on foot and a leader has to trust his instincts." Sokka growled, throwing his arms in the air.

"Ok, we'll try it your way oh wise leader." Katara answered, crossing her arms.

"Who knows? Maybe walking will be fun." Aang said in his usual enthusiastic attitude.

Aria smiled and followed after Sokka's retreating form. It was almost impossible to stay grumpy around the chipper Aang. She suspected Aang would change his tone after a couple hours of walking and sure enough they had probably only gotten five miles when Aang voiced his opinions loudly.

"Walking sucks!" Aang complained. "How do people go anywhere without a flying bison?"

"I don't know Aang, why don't you ask Sokka's instincts?" Katara asked sarcastically. "They seem to know everything."

"Haha, very funny." Sokka answered grumpily. Aria grinned; listening to them argue was pure entertainment. Personally she was glad for the chance to stretch her legs. Though her calves were beginning to ache she surged forward; she suspected that she had gotten lazy in the last couple of weeks and was determined to remedy that.

"I'm tired of carrying these packs." Aang once again complained.

"Just throw it up on Appa; I doubt he'd notice the extra weight." Aria responded.

"You know who you should ask to carry them?" Katara asked innocently, "Sokka's instincts!"

"That's a great idea!" Aang cried. "Hey, Sokka's instincts, would you mind?"

"Ok, ok! I get it! Look guys I'm tired too but the important thing is we're safe from the Fire…Nation…" Sokka had pushed his way through dense growing bushes and stopped dead. Frowning, Aria pushed her way through after Sokka to see what was wrong and her jaw dropped.

Tents were pitched in the clearing they had just barged into and Fire Nation soldiers sat around a campfire, food in hand. They had been talking loud enough that they had failed to hear the noise of an encampment of Fire Nation soldiers and had walked right into their midst. Aria knew the only reason they hadn't already been captured was that this group of soldiers had been lazy and failed to post a guard; the soldiers looked just as shocked as the kids were. One particular soldier had caught Aria's attention; his mouth was a comical O of surprise and he failed to notice the soup steadily pouring into his lap from a spoon suspended halfway to his mouth. Both groups stood shocked for a matter of seconds before Sokka broke up the standoff.

"Run!" He shouted, panicked. They cast off their packs and turned but it was too late. One of the soldiers recovered from his surprise and lost no time in setting fire to the bushes surrounding the group, effectively cutting off any escape route.

"We're cut off!" Sokka cried out.

They wheeled around to face the soldiers who had quickly surrounded them. The soldier's leering faces were lit up by the fire and seemed oddly demonic. Aria felt her pulse speeding up as it always did at the prospect of a fight and her muscles tensed, preparing for action. Her eyes darted around the closely packed soldiers, estimating the chances of beating them. With only two benders, and one of them a novice, their chances of victory was slim. The clearing was filled with the roaring of the fire and time seemed to stretch out. Seconds seemed to last minutes as the soldiers tightened their circle. Aria opened her mouth to address the soldiers but was struck dumb. It was as if someone had flipped a switch inside of her and she was filled with heat yearning to be let loose. A small pilot flame had been turned into an uncontrollable wild fire; the force of it almost brought her to her knees. Aria's bending was back! Power flowed through her limbs and she felt as it'd destroy her if it wasn't released.

"YES!" Aria whooped in jubilation. She jumped into the air shooting great, bright blue, blasts of fire into the air. A huge smile was pasted across her face as she came back down, landing lightly on her feet. Their current predicament had been forgotten in the light of the return of her bending. It was only when she felt the gaze of everyone in the clearing directed at her that she brought herself back to reality though she couldn't wipe the grin off her face. This fight had just taken a turn for the better. _There's no way we're losing now. _She thought cockily. Katara put a warning hand on Aria's shoulder and Aria immediately got the message. They could celebrate later; right now they needed to get out of this.

Sokka tore his attention away from Aria and turned back to the threat of the soldiers.

"Look, if you let us pass we promise we won't hurt you." Sokka announced boldly.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked urgently.

"Bluffing…" Sokka whispered.

"Ha! Bluffing? We can take them easily. They'll be lucky if we leave without a fight." Aria announced conceitedly. She felt unstoppable with the power of her bending and she smiled wolfishly, eager to heat things up with her fire.

"You promise not to hurt us?" A soldier with an eye patch asked incredulously. Anything else the man had to say was cut short by a speeding an arrow. A dull thud announced that the arrow had found its mark in the man's back and he dropped to the ground in a heap.

"Good work Sokka!" Aang cried, "How'd you do that?"

"He didn't." Aria growled, scanning the trees for the unseen marksman.

"Look!" Katara shouted, pointing to a high up branch. Katara had seen what Aria missed; in the trees stood a young, wild looking man holding long, wicked hooks. Somersaulting through the air, the man landed on two of the soldiers, taking them down to the ground. Aria watched in amazement, temporarily forgetting her urge to fight, at the skill the man wielded the hooks with; she had never seen such weapons.

"And down you go." He said jauntily, flipping two of the soldiers onto their backs with his hooks. He landed close to Aria and the others and winked conceitedly. Aria's eyes narrowed; though she herself could get a big head occasionally, she despised the trait in others. More wild looking boys dropped from the trees and soon the soldiers were overwhelmed, all without Sokka, Katara, Aang, or Aria moving from their original positions. Aria was unsure of what to do; had they already seen her bending earlier or should she keep in under wraps? A look from Katara clearly warned Aria to refrain from bending. Resentment immediately flared up in her and she clenched her jaw to keep from snapping at Katara. She had spent the last week terrified that she'd never bend again and now, when Aria could finally wield it, she was being told not to.

With only a few soldiers left, Sokka raised his boomerang at a charging soldier but was disappointed by the arrival of the man with the hooks.

"Hey! He was mine!" Sokka said disappointedly.

"Need to be quicker next time." The guy responded before running off.

Soon the soldiers had either run or were dead and the guy wielding the hooks approached Aria and Katara, a flirtatious smirk playing beneath his black eyes.

"Hey."

"Hi." Katara answered, blushing and looking away. Aria turned away and instead watched the other guys searching through the remains of the Fire Nation camp. They seemed to be an odd, ragtag assortment of boys, all different ages. Aang flitted from boy to boy, chatting animatedly. Aria felt a pang of sadness at the sight of all the chaos; she knew it was necessary but the death of her countrymen was hard to swallow.

"So, uh, you girls weren't hurt right? We can get kinda rough." He asked condescendingly.

"No, thank you! I didn't know how we were going to get out of that…" Katara answered breathlessly. Aria raised her eyebrows; apparently Katara fancied him.

"He just took down a whole army almost single handed!" Aang said in amazement.

Aria's scornful laughter echoed around the forest clearing.

"Army? Ha! That was no army. It was a scouting party consisting of men too old or too crippled to be of any use to the _real_ army." Aria said disdainfully.

"A scouting party or not, we just saved your butt from them!" He said indignantly, his smirk was quickly replaced by an annoyed scowl.

"Please." Aria sneered, her lip curling in disgust, "You attacked an enemy with their backs turned, hardly what I'd call bravery. You needn't have worried yourselves; if you had waited we'd have gotten out fine."

"Are we going to have a problem?" He demanded, coming within a foot of Aria. Behind him his gang glowered, distracted from their mission of salvaging supplies.

Katara got between them and pushed Aria back, muttering in her ear to be quiet.

"I'm sorry; Aria has been in a mood lately. Lack of food and sleep, you know." Katara explained hastily.

Aria's snort of disagreement paired with the expression on her face clearly showed her opinion of what Katara had just said. She wasn't really sure why she was antagonizing this good looking guy, something about him had just set her off. Perhaps it was because he _had _just killed several Fire Nation soldiers single handedly or that he had stolen Aria's thunder when it came to fighting.

"My name is Jet." He said, reluctantly turning away from Aria. "And these are my freedom fighters. Sneers, Longshot, Smellerbee, The Duke, and Pipsqueak."

After being introduced, the boys continued salvaging supplies, dispersed around the camp. Sokka stood against a tent looking annoyed and Aria joined him, crossing her arms. It was so frustrating to not be able to bend when she was able to. She wanted to just let loose everything inside and bend until she was exhausted but instead she had to keep it caged away inside. Again.

"Thanks again for saving us Jet, we were lucky you were there." Katara said, her voice oddly high pitched.

"I should be thanking you. We were waiting to ambush those soldiers all morning, we were just waiting for the right distraction. And then you guys stumbled in." He said smoothly.

"We were relying on instincts." Katara said crossly.

"You'll get yourself killed doing that." Jet responded.

Aria, who had been listening to the conversation, was worried by the information that they had been watching all morning; had they seen her bending? She walked over and joined in.

"So you've been hanging up in the trees all morning?" She asked nonchalantly.

"Yeah, we saw you guys coming from a little ways off." Jet answered coolly, still annoyed at her.

"So…did it all go off according to plan or….anything unusual happen?" Aria asked lamely. She was unsure how to word the question without sounding weird.

"Yeah, right before we attacked a bunch of blue flame shot off into the sky. I've never seen it blue, it was weird." Jet said, his eyes narrowed suspiciously, "What do you know about it?"

"I saw it to. I was just wondering if maybe since you guys were high up in the trees you saw what happened." Aria answered. Jet shook his head in the negative.

"Hey Jet! These barrels are filled with blasting jelly." The Duke yelled from across the campsite.

"That's a great score." Jet said happily.

"And these boxes are filled with jelly candies!" Pipsqueak added.

"That's good too. Let's not get those mixed up." Jet answered.

"We'll take this stuff back to the hideout." The Duke said.

"You guys have a hideout?" Aang asked eagerly, his eyes shining.

"You want to see it?" Jet asked.

"Yes! We want to see it!" Katara blurted out.

"Do we have time to take a big detour?" Aria asked pointedly, "I mean, we were just talking about how important time is…"

"Aria!" Katara hissed, glaring at her. "We have time!"

Aria just shrugged and followed after the group as they moved out of the campsite and threaded through the trees. They walked for around twenty minutes before Jet halted and announced that they had arrived.

"Where? There's nothing here." Sokka said grumpily.

"Hold this." Jet answered, offering Sokka a rope tied with a loop in the end.

"Why what's this do?" Sokka demanded. There was no time for a reply as the rope jerked up in the air, bearing Sokka away into the trees canopy screaming.

"Aang?" Jet said, offering another rope.

"I'll get up on my own." Aang answered and quickly airbended his way up the huge trees.

"Take hold of me Katara." Jet said suavely. Katara lost no time in holding tightly to Jet and they ascended together; Aria watched them go, giggling like a little girl. Katara was completely infatuated. Aria's turn was next. She grabbed the rope and quickly approached the leafy branches. Looking up she saw a small platform circling the trunk of the tree and she emerged through a small opening in the floor.

Standing on the platform, Aria was amazed. The hideout was spread across several trees, big enough to hold at least a dozen more people it seemed. Platforms were built around the trees at different levels, connected by ropes, bridges, and ladders. Tents were pitched on the many platforms and the boys swarmed all over, obviously at home.

"It's beautiful up here." Katara said breathlessly.

"It's beautiful, and more importantly, the Fire Nation can't find us." Jet answered.

"They would love to find you, wouldn't they Jet?" Smellerbee quipped, swinging down onto the platform from a rope.

"It's not going to happen Smellerbee." Jet answered confidently. Aria smirked; they didn't know a Fire Nation citizen had in fact infiltrated and was standing right next to them. She didn't have any malicious intentions but it still amused her.

"Why would the Fire Nation want to find you?" Katara asked.

"I guess you could say I've been causing them some trouble. See, they took over an Earth Kingdom village nearby a few years back." Jet answered.

"We've been ambushing their troops, cutting off their supply lines, anything we can to mess with them." Pipsqueak said, joining in on the conversation. They walked across a bridge, following Jet.

"One day we'll drive the Fire Nation out for good and free that town." Jet exclaimed.

"That's so brave." Katara said breathlessly.

"Yeah, nothings as brave as a guy in a tree house." Sokka said dryly. Aria chuckled appreciably.

"Don't pay any attention to my brother." Katara said crossly.

"No problem, he's probably had it rough too." Jet said, looking at Aria.

Aria rolled her eyes and kept walking while Katara and Jet stayed behind; let the lovebirds have some alone time.

Later that night the group convened around a huge table with the boys. Food was piled high and the smell of it was amazing. Huge platters of meat and other foods sat tantalizingly and Aria was hard pressed not to shove her mouth full to the point of rudeness.

"Today we struck another blow against the Fire Nation swine!" Jet yelled, standing up and raising his glass. Cheers filled the air as the boys around them roared their approval. "I got a special joy from the look on one soldiers face when The Duke dropped down on his helmet and rode him like a wild hog monkey!"

The Duke stood and acted out what had happed to the great amusement of the others.

"Now the Fire Nation thinks it doesn't have to worry about a bunch of kids hiding out in the trees. Maybe their right?" Jet said. He paused and let the group boo before resuming. "Or maybe they're dead wrong!"

Jet came and sat down between Aria and Katara and Aria scooted down, uncomfortable with his pushy closeness.

"Hey Jet, that was a great speech." Katara praised him.

"Thanks, by the way, I was really impressed with you and Aang. That was some great bending I saw out there today." Jet said.

"Well, he's great, he's the avatar. I could use some more training…" Katara responded, blushing.

"Avatar huh? Very nice." Jet said. "So I might know a way you and Aang can help in our struggle."

"Unfortunately we have to leave tonight." Sokka butted in on the other side of Aria.

"Sokka, you're kidding me! I needed your help on an important mission tomorrow!" Jet exclaimed disappointedly.

"What mission?" Sokka asked.

"No, it doesn't matter." Aria said. "Aang, we don't have time to stay here. You know as well as I that we need to get to the North Pole as fast as possible."

"But they need our help!" Aria and Katara argued.

"Yeah…I don't know, it sounds like this mission might be important…" Sokka said slowly.

"Fine. Who cares if Aang masters the elements as long as this one village gets his help." Aria answered sarcastically. She stood up and started walking away. "I'm going to bed."

Slowly she navigated her way back to the tent Jet had given her to use and stepped inside, closing the flap behind her. Still angry, she searched through her pack until she came to the small pot of salve she had bought from the trading village. She stripped off her shirt and tried to inspect her burns in the dark but was unable to see much. Listening hard and hearing no footsteps, she risked a small flame in the palm of her hand and once again inspected her sides. They were healing well and were completely scabbed over; hopefully new skin would begin growing soon. Looking at the burns turned her mind back to that night and she shivered, letting the flame disappear. She wanted to get over it so badly but couldn't; she could hear his voice in her head and relived it in her dreams. Distractedly, she pulled the small pot towards her and started rubbing the salve over her sides. It had an intense cooling sensation and Aria closed her eyes, trying to relax.

The tent flap was ripped back and Aria jumped to her feet, tipping the pot over and upsetting the salve. Jet walked into the tent, apparently not embarrassed by Aria's lack of a shirt. She stared at him incredulously.

"Um…can I help you?" Aria asked somewhat hostile.

"I just wanted to talk… So you've been a victim of the Fire Nation too. And recently." Jet said, reaching out and brushing his fingers across one of the burns. Aria flinched and moved back from him, once again feeling uncomfortable.

"I guess you could say that." She answered, kneeling down and attempting to save what she could of the salve.

"Tell me what happened." Jet said soothingly, also kneeling down to help.

"No." Aria said flatly.

"Ok ok. Just trying to be friendly." Jet said, raising his hands placatingly. "Look, I just know that for some reason we got off on the wrong foot and I'm sorry. For whatever I did, I'm sorry."

"You're apologizing but you don't know why?" Aria asked, frowning at him.

"Yeah, I guess I am." Jet answered with a smirk. "So how'd you come to be with the avatar and what's up with the clothes?"

She glanced down at her Fire Nation attire briefly before answering.

"It's all a long story…and I'm a bit tired." Aria said, tucking the pot back into her pack and standing up. Unsure of the purpose of this visit and how to handle it she opted to end it.

"Ok, we'll continue this later then." Jet promised before disappearing out of the tent.

Aria stood motionless for several seconds, confused as to why he had followed her back from the table. Unable to find a motive, she lay down on her bed roll and was consumed with planning a time to sneak away and bend. Holding it in any longer seemed unbearable and she couldn't wait; hardly able to sleep.

By the time Aria woke in the morning Jet, Sokka, and the rest of his gang had left on their 'important' mission. Losing no time she bolted for the woods and continued running until she could hear nothing but the birds singing and her heart throbbing. After a brief pause to catch her breath, Aria threw herself into her bending. Wildly she spun around the clearing with blue flames dancing around her. There was no thought of discipline or form; she was purely enjoying releasing the wild energy inside. The flames grew in size and intensity until the air itself seemed to crackle with the heat and sweat rolled off Aria. For the first time since being taken aboard Zhao's ship she felt truly happy.

The light was beginning to soften and turn to dusk before Aria made her way back to the hideout; she was exhausted and ready to fall over but pleased. Seeing Katara and Aang gathered in Sokka's tent she put off sleep for another moment and directed her steps toward his tent also. Things seemed tense inside and she almost regretted deciding to join them.

"Where have you been all day?" Katara asked distractedly.

"Oh you know the time seemed right for a…bonfire." Aria answered, smiling devilishly.

"I get it!" Aang cried enthusiastically.

"So what's going on?" Aria asked, addressing Sokka's back. He had continued to throw thing violently into his bag, ignoring Aria's arrival.

"We're leaving." Sokka said tersely.

"We can't leave now with the Fire Nation about to burn down a forest!" Katara exclaimed.

"I'm sorry Katara, Jets very smooth but we can't trust him." Sokka answered adamantly.

"You know what I think? I think your jealous that he's a better warrior and a better leader." Katara almost yelled back.

"Katara, I'm not jealous of Jet. It's just that my instincts-" Sokka began.

"Well my instincts tell me we need to stay here a little longer and help Jet. Come on Aang." Katara said storming out angrily.

Sokka looked askance of Aria who had stood listening quietly during the argument and she shrugged.

"She's infatuated." She said simply. Unable to stand it any longer, she took her leave of Sokka and went in search of her bed roll. Making it to her tent she quickly through herself down on her bedroll and dropped into sleep almost instantly. What seemed like only minutes later a hand was placed over her mouth and in a panic she reacted. Placing her both of her hands on the intruders chest she sent a blast of fire, throwing the person back through the tent's entrance. Hearing Sokka's cursing voice Aria jumped to her feet and hurried out to see if he was ok.

"What'd you do that for?" Sokka demanded.

"Why'd you sneak up on me like that?" Aria responded defensively.

"Jet's up to something. I wanted you to back me up until you about blasted me out of the tree!" Sokka said angrily.

"What's he up to?" Aria asked.

"I don't know, that's why I want to follow. We'll have to hurry to catch up." Sokka said, jumping to his feet.

Aria followed after him silently, resigned to a night without sleep.

"Now listen, you are not to blow the dam until I give the signal." Jet commanded, deadly calm. "If the reservoir isn't full, the Fire Nation troops could survive."

Sokka and Aria were crouched behind several thorn bushes; they had followed the group all the way down to a cliff overlooking the nearby village and reservoir. Jet's group had dragged the barrels of blasting jelly found in the Fire Nation camp along with them. Aria stifled a yawn and fought hard to keep her heavy eyelids from closing. Sokka dug his elbow impatiently into her side; annoyed at her bobbing head.

"If you don't get your elbow out of my side I'm going to blast you half across this forest." Aria hissed.

"But what about the people in the town?" The Duke asked. "Won't they get wiped out too?"

"Look The Duke, that's the price of ridding this valley of the Fire Nation. Now don't blow the dam until I give the signal, got it?"

Aria shook her head angrily and made a move to step into the clearing but Sokka grabbed her arm.

"I'm putting a stop to this." Aria whispered.

"Aria, no! You can't, you'll hurt someone!" He hissed quietly. "It's wrong to Fire bend against people."

Aria whipped around to face him, furious.

"Sokka, Katara and Aang use their bending against people all the time! Do you think they just get back up again and everything's ok? You use your boomerang; do you stop and help them up and make sure they'll be alright?" Aria flung back.

"But you're a fire bender! If you use your bending you're no better than them." Sokka continued stubbornly.

"This is a war. I'm going to use whatever weapon I have to help Aang! You act like firebending is some monstrous, evil thing but it's not!" Aria retorted.

"It is! People like you have ruined our lives! I lost my mother to you people!" Sokka whispered fiercly, pointing his finger in Aria's face.

"People like me." Aria growled; her eyes narrowed dangerously. "I understand the Fire Nation has done horrible, horrible things but you need to understand that not every person or firebender in the Fire Nation are out to get you! The people of the Fire Nation are not evil; they believe what they are told! Yes, there are people like Zhao and the Firelord and my father who are thriving on this war but you need to quit condemning everyone unlucky enough to be born there! Now get your hand out of my face." Aria hissed, her face red and fists clenched. She had quite forgotten Jet and his Freedom Fighters.

The sound of a stick snapping nearby broke up the tense argument and they spun around. Standing behind them was Pipsqueak and Smellerbee. Aria, still fuming, crossed her arms and looked up at them with an attitude as if they were being incredibly rude listening in on their conversation.

"So you _are _a Fire Bender." Pipsqueak said in his deep, gravelly voice, "Jet had his suspicions."

Sokka made a break for it but Pipsqueak grabbed him by his ponytail and lifted him off his feet.

"Where do you think you're going ponytail?" Smellerbee said, holding a knife to his throat. Losing no more time, Aria enveloped her hands in flame and stepped forward threateningly.

"Let him go and we'll all leave without getting hurt." She said calmly. Sensing someone behind her Aria tried to turn around but it was too late. Swinging a solid branch, Jet hit her exactly where he knew it would take her down; the burns on her side. Pain exploded through the right side of Aria's body and she dropped to the ground, clenching her teeth and clutching her side. Standing over her, he grabbed her hair and yanked her head back to look at him.

"You thought you'd use your bending on us you filthy Fire Nation whore? How dare you?" He almost screamed. "Drag them out to the clearing." He commanded marching out of the forest. Aria was hauled to her feet and they were quickly pushed out of the woods into the clearing next to the cliff.

"Sokka, glad you decided to join us." Jet said smoothly, regaining his calm.

"I heard your plan to destroy the Earth Kingdom town." Sokka accused, rubbing his shoulder.

"Our plan is to rid the valley of the Fire Nation." Jet maintained.

"There are people living there Jet! Mothers and fathers and children!" Sokka argued.

"We can't win without making sacrifices." Jet said stubbornly.

"You lied to Katara and Aang about the forest fire!" Sokka cried.

"That's because they don't understand the demands of war." Jet answered. "Not like you and I do."

Aria, recovering from the intense pain, moved to stand up and Pipsqueak quickly put her in a chokehold, just loose enough to allow her to remain conscious.

"I do understand. I understand there's nothing you won't do to get what you want." Sokka said angrily.

"I was hoping you'd have an open mind but I can see you've made your choice. I can't let you warn Katara and Aang. Take him for a walk." Jet said easily.

"Wait, wait! What about her? What about Aria?" Sokka yelled as he was being dragged away.

"I can't let her survive this. Another Fire Bender taken out of this world. Don't worry, the explosion will kill her a lot faster than she deserves." Jet answered, staring into Aria's eyes. Aria straightened up as much as she could under Pipsqueak's iron hold and glared defiantly. "Pipsqueak, take her down and tie her next to the dam. It's a shame; I thought you were pretty cute when I first saw you."

"Aria! If you get away get to the village and warn them! We can't let them be killed!" Sokka yelled as he disappeared into the forest.

"Cheer up Sokka, we're going to win a great victory against the Fire Nation today." Jet called after him. "And you, sweetheart, won't have to worry about much of anything anymore."

Aria managed to give Jet one last dirty look before being dragged off toward the dam. The idea that Pipsqueak could manage to drag her all the way to and tie her to the dam was laughable but she was highly annoyed nonetheless. Jet had gotten her down because he took a cheap shot, not due to talent and was now stupid enough to entrust her to the giant oaf. Holding the arm that held her against his chest, Aria used it to hold herself up and swung her legs high, kicking Pipsqueak in the head. Grunting, he quickly dropped her and staggered back a few feet. Aria dropped him with a quick succession of fire blasts and ran for it, certain she was faster. Digging deep, she put everything she had into reaching the village on time. Her legs flew over the ground, seemingly barely touching the ground before pushing off again. Exhausted and running on pure adrenaline, Aria staggered to a halt at the village gates and paused to catch her breath. The sound of a large crowd drew her to the town square where people were gathered around someone she couldn't see. She pushed through the crowd rudely, and made it to the clearing in the center. Sokka was surrounded by Fire Nation soldiers gesturing wildly towards the woods.

"I'm telling you, you have to evacuate the village! Those rebels in the woods are going to explode the dam!" Sokka cried impatiently.

"How do we know you're not one of them?" One of the soldiers asked.

"Do we need to go through this again?" Sokka asked incredulously.

Aria pushed through the soldiers and addressed the Captain with authority in her voice.

"The village needs to be evacuated now. He's not lying, I've seen the explosives with my own eyes." Aria said.

"And who are you?" The Captain asked.

"I'm Aria. Daughter of General Jirou and I'm telling you you're wasting time." Aria announced grandly.

"You're General Jirou's daughter? They're looking for you everywhere! We've got to bring you in!" He said in amazement.

"Fine, I don't care, I'll go with you but I'm not going anywhere until you get these people out of here!" Aria argued.

The man seemed to ponder the issue for a moment before giving the order to start the evacuation. In the confusion of people running back and forth grabbing their possessions, Sokka grabbed Aria's arm and ran before the Fire Nation soldiers noticed their absence and led her to Appa. They flew over the villagers fleeing the valley and headed back to the cliff to find Jet. They crested the cliff and landed Appa near where Aang and Katara were standing. Jet was frozen to a tree and Aria laughed as she walked up to him.

"In a bit of a predicament are we?" Aria asked, patting him on the cheek.

"We warned the villagers of your plan. Just in time." Sokka said coolly.

"What?" Jet yelled furiously.

"At first they didn't believe me; the Fire Nation soldiers assumed I was a spy. But Aria came and vouched for me and we got everyone out on time." Sokka explained.

"Sokka, you fool, we could have freed this valley!" Jet yelled.

"Who would be free? Everyone would be dead." Sokka pointed out.

"You traitor!"

"No Jet, you became the traitor when you stopped protecting innocent people." Sokka answered calmly.

"Katara, please, help me." Jet cried softly.

"Goodbye Jet." Katara answered softly.

"She'll kill you all! Don't trust her, she's Fire Nation! She'll betray all of you!" Jet screamed, losing his cool again. Aria waved in response and Appa took off into the air leaving Jet far below. The adrenaline left her system and she was feeling lethargic from the lack of sleep. She closed her eyes and leaned back eager to take a long nap.

"So you've got your bending back huh?" Sokka asked interested.

"Yes. Now please, let me sleep. Jet was right; I'm not above killing you all." Aria joked.


	18. Chapter 18

"Here it is guys, the Great Divide!" Aang cried impressively, raising his arms up in the air. Before them stretched a great canyon; red rock swirled beneath them, creating great cliffs and crevices. It seemed to go on forever, the other side being lost in a haze of low laying clouds. The forlorn cry of an unseen animal echoed up from the depths; this was an inhospitable place.

"Wow, I could just stare at it forever!" Katara exclaimed.

"Ok, I've seen enough." Sokka said nonchalantly.

"How could you not be fascinated Sokka? This is the largest canyon in the entire world!" Katara asked incredulously.

"And I'm sure we'll be able to see it very clearly from the air as we fly away." Sokka pointed out. Aria agreed and swung up on Appa, ready to depart. The sooner Aang got to the North Pole the better.

"HEY! If you're looking for the canyon guide I was here first!"

Aria turned around and watched a pompous looking young man hustling up, looking angry.

"Ooo. Canyon guide, sounds informative." Katara answered.

"Believe me, he's more than a tour guide; he's an earth bender. And the only way in and out of the canyon is with his help and he's taking my tribe across next!" The man cried angrily while Sokka mocked him in the background.

"Maybe you should take it easy and get your panties out of a knot." Aria answered, swinging down from Appa.

"You wouldn't calm down if the Fire Nation destroyed your home and forced you to flee! My whole tribe has to walk thousands of miles to the capital city of Ba Sing Se!" He retorted.

"You're a refugee!" Katara exclaimed.

"Huh, tell me something I don't know." The man answered snottily. Aria rolled her eyes; what was this guy's problem?

"Is that your tribe?" Katara asked, seeking to distract the man from his angry attitude. It was immediately apparent Katara had been horribly mistaken; the man's face colored a deep, ugly puce color and clenched his fists.

"It most certainly is not! That's the Zhang tribe! A bunch of low life thieves! They've been enemies of my tribe for a hundred years." He answered, "Hey Zhangs! I'm saving a spot for my tribe so don't even think about stealing it!"

"Oh yeah? Where are the rest of the Gan Jins?" A beast of a woman growled back. She stood at least six foot tall and muscles rippled on her arms emerging from fur clothing; everything about her screamed tough. "Still tidying up their campsite?"

Impressively, the Gan Jin man stood his ground and glowered back.

"Yes, but they sent me ahead of them to hold a spot!" He argued.

Aria listened to them argue for a moment before appealing to Katara.

"Don't you think we should get going?" Aria suggested.

"Shhh. I'm listening!" Katara said, waving Aria away. Katara followed the argument raptly, not looking at Aria.

A sudden upheaval of rocks disrupted the argument and everyone turned, unsure of what to expect. A short, portly old man stood where the rocks had previously stood, smiling brightly.

"Sorry about the wait youngsters." The old man said, "Who's ready to cross this here canyon?"

"Um...one of them I think…" Katara pointed out.

"I'm first! My party is on their way!" The Gan Jin man shouted quickly.

"I can't guide people who aren't here…" The canyon guide pointed out.

"Guess you guys will have to make the trip tomorrow."

Aria rubbed her hand across her face, growing impatient.

"Wait! Here they come!" The young man shouted in relief. A group of people approached at an orderly pace, looking serene. They seemed to be as opposite to the Zhang tribe as it was possible to be. Where the Zhangs were slovenly and dressed in crude furs, the Gan Jins were neat and trim in carefully pressed robes.

"You're not seriously going to cave in to these spoiled Gan Jins, are you? I mean, we're refugees too!" The giant woman cried in alarm. "And we've got sick people that need help."

"We've got old people who are weary from traveling!" The young Gan Jin man argued back.

"Sick people get priority over old people!" The woman responded.

"You Zhangs wouldn't have so many sick people if you weren't such slobs." An older Gan Jin man pointed out.

"If you Gan Jins weren't so clean maybe you wouldn't live to be so old!" The woman shot back.

Aria and the others followed the argument like a tennis match, unsure of what to do. On one side was the rude, coarse slobs and the other the stuffy, pompous snobs; was there any reconciling these people?

"Well Aang, ready to put your peace making skills to the test?" Katara suggested.

"I don't know…these people have been feuding for a hundred years…" Aang answered uncertainly.

"Everyone listen up!" Katara shouted, ignoring Aang's protests. "This is the Avatar! And if you give him a chance I'm sure he'll come up with a compromise that will make everyone happy."

The tribes dropped their bickering and gave Aang their attention, listening attentively.

"Um…you could share the earth bender and travel together…?" Aang suggested hopefully.

"Absolutely not, we'd rather be taken by the Fire Nation then travel with those stinking thieves!" The elder of the Gan Jins protested loudly.

"We wouldn't travel with those pompous fools anyway." The tough woman retorted. The sharp words quickly escalated into a full scale fight between the tribes and the yelling voices echoed slightly against the rocky surroundings.

"So do you think every traveler runs into as many insane situations as we do or does it just come with being the Avatar?" Aria asked idly, pulling a loose thread out of her shirt sleeve. Sokka scratched his chin thoughtfully as if seriously considering her sarcastic question. Aang's face clouded over and he jumped forward, separating the leaders of the tribes.

"All right here's the deal, you're going down together and Appa here will fly your sick and elderly across! Does that seem fair?" He yelled in frustration. Grudgingly the people of the two tribes nodded, grumbling under their breath.

Aria clutched the smooth leather reins tightly, fully aware and uncomfortable with the fact that she was about to try and steer a two ton flying bison with a mind of its own. After a brief discussion it was decided Aria would be the one to accompany the sick and elderly of the two tribes across the canyon. Much to the chagrin of Aria, the decision had been based purely on the fact that if they had to defend themselves it'd be better if Aria wasn't there. Her firebending would completely alienate the tribes. Personally she'd rather alienate the tribes and be alive then risk being outmatched.

She was quickly getting tired of hiding what she could do and knew she wouldn't consent to it much longer. By lying about her bending she was just making herself that much more untrustworthy when the truth did eventually come out.

"Now to get him to fly all you have to say is 'yip yip'." Aang stated brightly.

"Alright…nothing to it…" Aria mumbled nervously. Aang laughed and stepped back, clearing room for Appa to take off.

Taking a deep breath she slapped the reins sharply and called out to Appa.

"Yip yip!"

With a low growl, Appa slapped his tail against the ground and heaved himself into the air. Behind her, all the people seated on the saddle cried out in alarm and Aria tensed up, her shoulders level with her ears. When Appa leveled out high in the air Aria relaxed a little and patted him on the head; the gesture seemed to be more for her comfort than Appa's. Though the canyon was huge, Appa's speed carried them to the other side in less than three hours and Aria began scanning the ground for a suitable landing place.

Aria stood halfway down Appa's tail and gave the people a hand in making their way to the ground. Her nose wrinkled in disgust when a particularly unclean Zhang man leaned heavily against her for support. The last of the passengers were about to disembark when angry voices rose in a heated argument. Resignedly Aria approached the people causing the commotion and looked askance of them.

"He tried to take my pack!" An elderly Gan Jin woman screeched, "I saw that rotten thief eying it the entire flight and now he's made his move!"

"That's a lie! I can't help it if she leaves her stuff where I'm trying to pitch my tent! You Gan Jin's think you can do whatever you want!" A whiney voiced man protested.

"Why does this matter? You've got your bag, you've got your space, just get away from each other and there won't be any more arguments!" Aria said, employing extreme will power to keep from yelling. She spun on her heel and walked away to tend to Appa. She managed to get a total of ten steps away before another argument broke out. Clenching her jaw tight, she remained where she was and tried to collect herself before attempting to deal with the situation. Patience wasn't in her genetic code and when the voices rose to an even higher decibel she stormed back to the group of people and listened angrily.

"This is where I'm pitching my tent and you can budge off!" A big, sick looking man growled. He had the look of someone who had previously been heavily muscled but slowly wasted away from sickness.

"We deserve the prime spot! We're weary from such a long journey; our bodies can't handle rough roads anymore!" An old man argued.

"Well we-" A Gan Jin man made to butt in but Aria cut him off.

"Stop! That's enough arguing! Until the rest of your tribes make it across I don't want any of the Gan Jins or the Zhangs talking to each other, got me? Gan Jins, set your camp on this side of the road. Zhangs, you get the other side of the road. If anyone has a problem with that keep it to yourself!" Aria yelled angrily before stalking off. Behind her she could hear the tribes setting up their tents and she supposed she should be helping them but kept walking.

She stood at the edge of the canyon and studied it intently, wondering how far Aang and the others may have gotten. After a while she returned to the campsite, sure she had gotten her temper under control. The tribes had gotten their tents pitched and were settling down around fires, pulling food out of their knapsacks. Deciding not to join either of them, Aria climbed into Appa's saddle and lay back; the stars speckled the sky without a cloud in sight.

Though she desperately wanted to sleep, she was unable to stop the thoughts jumbling in her head. She knew both Zhao and Zuko were pursuing and couldn't help but wonder how close behind they were. At the moment she wasn't sure if she wanted Zuko to catch up or not. It'd be another chance to talk to him but was it even worth trying? She sighed and pushed the discouraging thought away, tired of dwelling over it.

A gust of wind carried the smell of cooking food from the tribes' fires over to Aria and her stomach grumbled loudly. She had food in her pack but felt too lazy to dig for it; the Earth Kingdom food didn't sound appetizing anyways. What she wouldn't give for some Fire Nation food; the thought of fire flakes in particular made her mouth water. Or the duck their cook prepared, it melted in your mouth. Earth Kingdom food was just so tasteless and bland to her; lacking the rich spices the Fire Nation used. Her musings over food was interrupted by a sharp crack in the nearby woods; she sat up quickly and scanned the trees, looking for movement. The soft rustle of the tree branches swaying in the slight breeze masked any further noises and Aria could spot nothing unusual moving about. All the same she felt tense and suspicious. It was as if subconsciously she had noticed something out of place but was unable to identify what it was.

Suddenly four birdhorses burst out of the woods at a sprint, their riders crouching low on their necks and hollering loudly. From the sound of people's panicked cries, Aria guessed they had come out of the hiding on the other side of the road as well. She stood up in Appa's saddle and took in the situation; there were seven of the riders total closing around the small camp. Aria athletically sprung from the saddle and sprinted toward the tribes, already behind the birdhorses; the riders had not noticed Aria in the saddle and had passed Appa without attacking.

"So this is how it's going to go," A rough looking man shouted out at the fearful tribe members, "You're all going to hand over your bags without a fuss and we won't have to get violent."

"Excuse me, but I don't think that's yours." Aria announced boldly. She had arrived at the campsite as the man who appeared to be the leader snatched a knapsack out of an elderly woman's hands. The man spun around in alarm but in perceiving the threat burst out laughing.

"And who are you, girl?" He asked in amusement.

"Good question. Who are you and why do you think you can harass these people?" Aria asked, scowling at the man.

"I am Goro and these are my men. We've been making our profit off refugees for years now and if you have a lick of sense you'll shut up and hand over whatever you have." Goro growled.

Aria briefly contemplated her options and the various outcomes. There were seven men and, from observing them from Appa earlier, she knew three of them were earth benders. If she had to fight, she knew the tribes would turn against her. She also knew from talking with the tribes, that they had left all valuables behind. As much as everything inside her rebelled against it, her smartest option would be to let them search and go away without a fight, empty handed.

"I don't have anything." Aria answered resentfully, raising her hands in surrender and feeling incredibly lucky her money and bag were safe on Appa's saddle.

"That's likely." Goro growled sarcastically. He grabbed her arm as she walked by to join the tribes and quickly patted her down, searching for a money bag. When he found nothing he threw her down on the ground and winked cheekily at her. It took all of her self-control not to get back up and teach him to keep his hands to himself.

She sat next to the tribe members and watched the marauders like a hawk, ready to interfere at any sign of roughness. Gritting her teeth to stop herself from any smart comments, she continuously clenched and unclenched her fists; though the decision was logical, she hated that she wasn't fighting back. It took the men only a few minutes to thoroughly search everyone and they all came away disappointed.

"I am not leaving with nothing." Goro growled, hauling Aria to her feet by her hair.

Aria reacted instantly and without thought; bright blue flames enveloping her fist, she punched him square in the chest, knocking him down to the ground. Immediately the other two earth benders attacked. Spreading out to take advantage of their higher numbers, the two stomped the ground and raised their arms above their heads. Two great boulders heaved up from the ground and hurtled toward Aria. Instead of dodging out of the way she sprinted straight at one of the boulders and jumped. Taking two steps on the boulder, she used it to spring at one of her attackers, sending a stream of fire at the man. He was too slow to avoid it and he dropped to the ground, screaming in pain and clutching at his arm and side where she had hit him.

Without pausing, she turned to face the other man and received a surprise; he had mounted the closest birdhorse and was beating a hasty retreat with the other nonbenders. At the first sign of resistance they had folded. The breath whooshed out of Aria's lungs and she dropped to one knee; Goro had regained his feet and had hit her with a good sized boulder. Hearing another rock whistling through the air at her, Aria spread her legs into a split and leaned forward, flattening herself against the ground. The rock flew harmlessly over her head and she jumped up. She sent another stream of fire at him but he protected himself by pulling a slab of stone up from the ground.

From behind the slab, Goro shot pillars of rock straight up from the ground, hoping to send Aria flying. Nimbly she weaved and dodged her way through pillars, making her way to the great slab of stone Goro was hiding behind. Wanting to end this quickly, Aria side stepped the slab of stone and before Goro could respond, enveloped him in pillar of fire. The twisting, undulating pillar cast a bluish light on Aria's face and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead from the radiating heat. After only a few seconds of the intense attack she dropped her arms to her side and stepped back. Goro had collapsed on the ground, looking decidedly worse for wear. His clothes had huge, singed holes and most of his hair was gone. Cautiously Aria approached and bent over him; he was still breathing but unconscious. Angry red burns covered any exposed skin and Aria felt a pang of guilt, remembering how painful her own burns had been. Goro would be disfigured with scars the rest of his life. Aria grabbed the nearest birdhorse and led it over to Goro; using all her strength, she heaved him onto the back of the beast. Exhausted, she leaned up against the birdhorse and gained her breath before grabbing the lead and walking it over to the other injured earth bender.

"Get up." She said, kicking him in the side. Flinching, he got to his feet and regarded Aria warily. "Get on and get out of here. If I ever hear of you guys harassing refugees again I'll be back. I promise you'll regret it."

Aria stepped back and watched as the man climbed on with difficulty and booked it towards the woods. She felt horrible about the amount of damage she had done but couldn't bring herself to completely regret it. When he had grabbed her by the hair, she had once again been reminded of Zhao and almost panicked. _I'm never going to get him out of my head_, she thought angrily. Hearing the murmuring of the tribe members behind her, she sighed and turned to face them.

"You're a fire bender." A sick man coughed out.

"Yes." Aria answered simply. She searched their faces and strangely enough, though there was much whispering and murmuring, found no fear or distrust in any of them.

"You saved us from those thugs." An elderly lady came forward and pressed her hand warmly.

"You don't hate me?" Aria asked incredulously, resisting the urge to remove her hand. "I thought you hated everything to do with the Fire Nation."

"The eyes tell everything." The old lady answered, "Sad, yet kind. You too have suffered at the hands of the Fire Nation. You are different."

Aria stared down at the wrinkled old woman, unsure of what to say. They didn't hate her. She was completely stunned.

"Thank you." Aria whispered. Together she and the tribe members tidied up the mess the thugs had left; clothes and food were strewn everywhere and a few of the tents were now just a pile of canvas and poles. That night they sat at the fire and passed around what little food remained unspoiled. For the first time since she had met these people there was no arguing among them. For the first time in a long time Aria felt hopeful, the future seemed a little less bleak. Though her problems still existed, right here and right now everything was ok.

The next day Aria and the others roamed about the campsite restlessly, waiting for the arrival of the rest of the tribe. Though they had accepted her, Aria found herself the subject of many stares and whispered conversations. Dusk was approaching, softening the harsh sunlight into faint wisps of bright pink when a strange, scrabbling sound came from the depths of the canyon 100 yards away. The activity around the camp halted as everyone watched warily, wondering what new trouble was headed their way. Several cries of amazement were heard when great, spiderlike beasts came swarming over the edge of the canyon bearing the other tribe members.

As the last of the monsters disappeared back over the edge of the canyon the sick and elderly shuffled and limped as best they could to greet their fellow tribe members. Aria skipped brightly ahead and put her arms around Sokka and Katara.

"Someday you're going to have to explain that." Aria stated. When the hubbub finally died down, the voices of the tribe leaders could be heard drifting across the crowd.

"I never thought a Gan Jin would get his hands dirty like that!" The woman leader of the Zhangs exclaimed in surprise.

"And I never thought you Zhangs were so reliable in a pinch!" The old Gan Jin man answered.

"Perhaps we're not so different after all." The woman suggested.

"Too bad we can't rewrite history!" The old man growled. With a flourish he drew his sword and pointed it at the woman. Aria's jaw dropped; were they really taking it to the point of killing? "You thieves stole our sacred orb from Jin Wei."

"They're finishing this from in the canyon." Katara whispered.

"What happened?" Aria asked, flummoxed.

"You tyrants unjustly imprisoned Wei Jin for twenty long years!" The woman cried, also drawing her sword.

"Wait a second! Wei Jin, Jin Wei? I know those guys!" Aang exclaimed.

"Yes, yes. We're all aware of the story." The old man answered impatiently.

"No, I mean I really knew them!" Aang persisted. "I might not look it but I'm a hundred and twelve years old. I was there, one hundred years ago, on the day you're talking about."

Aria was completely lost as Aang told a narrative about Wei Jin and Jin Wei. Apparently they were brothers playing a game; Aria scrunched her eyebrows, what was he talking about? While with the sick and elderly tribes she had heard the names Wei Jin and Jin Wei but honestly hadn't cared enough to inquire further.

"So there was no stealing and no putting anyone in prison; just a game." Aang finished.

"You're saying the sacred orb was just a sacred ball?" The woman asked in confusion.

"Nope just a regular ball." Aang answered.

"What about our tribe's redemption ritual?" A man shouted out.

"That was the name of the game, redemption!" Aang said, "As soon as the ball made it from one goal to the other everyone would shout redemption! Don't get me wrong, Wei Jin was kinda a slob and Jin Wei was kinda stuffy; that much is true. But they respected each other's differences enough to share the same playing field."

"I suppose it's time we forget the past." The woman said slowly.

"And look to the future." The old man said bowing. Together the tribes departed for the capital, taking the earth bender guide with them. Left alone, the Aria and the others relaxed slightly; it was stressful being around such quarrelsome people.

"It's some luck you knew Jin Wei and Wei Jin." Sokka stated.

"You could call it luck…or you could call it lying." Aang answered slyly. Aria's jaw almost dropped; did innocent little Aang just admit to lying to a huge group of people about their history?

"What?" Sokka exclaimed.

"I made the whole thing up." Aang answered.

"You did not!" Katara said in disbelief. "That is so wrong."

"Well Aang, I do believe I misjudged you." Aria said laughing.

"How'd everything go with you?" Katara asked Aria.

"Eh, you guys tell me what happened first; your story sounds more exciting." Aria answered.

Together they grabbed their packs off Appa and pulled the remaining food out. Over a quick lunch they swapped stories before loading up and flying off. Within an hour of flying Aang was the only one left awake; none of them had gotten much sleep the previous night. Aria smiled faintly in her sleep, dreaming hopefully of the future.


	19. Chapter 19

**So…question for everyone who reads this… Do you think that the ability to bend lava would be for earth benders or fire benders? Because lava is technically only super-heated rock but it just seems like it should be a fire bending thing… In the third season of Avatar when Aang and Zuko are both learning about their ancestors, Firelord Sozin was bending it I think… Anyway, how was this chapter? Sorry it took so long, I just moved to Virginia!**

Pitch black clouds obscured the once serene afternoon sky. Rain hammered down in sheets, making it all but impossible to see anything further than a few feet away and turning well-kept roads into impassable mud pits. Alternating between low, rolling growls and cannon like explosions, thunder was the only audible sound over the pounding rain. Jagged bolts of light raced each other across the sky, leaving the smell of burnt ozone behind. Lightning; the only reason she trudged her way through the mud filled streets leading out of town, hunched forward against the drenching rain. And the only aspect of Fire Bending that still eluded her.

The ability to control lightning was reserved for only the best of the firebenders and a skill Aria was determined to master. To create lighting, one had to separate negative energy from positive energy and let them come crashing back together. The air during a storm crackled with this energy and Aria was sure if her hair hadn't been plastered to her skull from the rain it'd be sticking straight out. In pleasant weather it was incredibly difficult for an inexperienced lighting bender to feel the difference in the energy. On the contrary, storms caused such a disturbance in the atmosphere; it was almost easy to pick up on the negative and positive energy.

Making it out of the village and up a path that winded its way along the side of a steep hill, Aria settled into the horse stance and focused on feeling for the energy that was key to bending lightning. After letting the energy wash across her for a few minutes, getting the feel of the opposite energies, she began bending, pulling them apart. It was like pulling two extremely powerful magnets apart; incredibly reluctant to part and eager to come crashing back together. She was able to keep them apart for mere seconds before she lost control and they violently collided together. An extremely hot burst of light exploded between Aria's hands and zigzagged into the sky, blinding her and throwing her back on her butt a few feet. She remained where she was, waiting for her eyes to readjust to the darkness, completely shocked by the power she had released. She had underestimated how hard it would be to control. A huge smile spread across her face; now this was bending!

Jumping to her feet once more, she inhaled deeply through her nose and let it out slowly, focusing before attempting to control such power again. Like before, when she pulled the two apart, they resisted and immediately began pushing back but, wrinkling her brow in concentration, Aria forced them to come together slowly so she could maintain control. So surprised she almost lost it again, Aria twirled a bolt of lightning around, so bright in the darkness of the storm it was almost all she could see. It followed after her hands as fluid as water yet crackling with insane power. Marveling at the beauty of it, her concentration dropped and when a cannon like boom of thunder blast across the sky, the lightning escaped, bounding from her hands into the clouds. Aria looked straight up into the rain, smiling like an idiot, this was exhilarating!

About to try again, Aria frowned when the howling wind seemed to carry on it a voice crying for help. She paused and listened again but heard nothing but the raging storm. Realizing just how bad the storm really was progressing, she started on her way carefully back down the hillside, starting to shiver. Again she heard the cry for help and sped up; it was coming from further down the hill. Squinting through the rain, she paused; a figure was coming slowly up the hill clutching a parka to itself.

"Help! Please you must help me! My husband!" The thin reedy voice cried out.

Aria hurried forward carefully on the muddy trail, eager to reach the woman. This was the rude fisherman's wife! Why had she braved the ferocious storm to find her? Sokka; the realization made her stomach sink to her feet. Earlier that day Sokka had found employment with a fisherman when the kids had realized they were out of money and they were currently out to sea in this tempest. When she finally reached the woman, she grabbed hold of Aria's shirt desperately, as if she'd float away.

"Where is the Avatar? My husband is out on the boat! He'll be killed! They'll be killed; the water tribe boy is with him! I told him there was a storm coming!" The woman cried.

"It's alright! It's alright, we'll go get Aang now and we can fly out and get them!" Aria shouted over the howling wind, ignoring the folly of flying during a storm.

"Well why'd he go and run off during a storm?" The woman screeched, fear laced through her words.

Aria declined to point out the rudeness of her husband, deciding it wasn't the time or the place. When the fisherman had found out Aang was the Avatar, he had reacted with hostility instead of gratitude. Aang's breaking point had been when the fisherman accused him of turning his back on the world for a hundred years; Aang had flown away on his glider and Katara followed on Appa to comfort him. Aria had hung around town awkwardly until the storm hit.

"Let's go, I know they flew in the direction of that big cliff side by the sea. Is there anywhere there they can shelter?" Aria asked urgently.

"The only place is a large cave in the cliff itself!" The woman answered.

"Can we reach it on foot?" Aria asked.

"Yes. There's a narrow pathway!" The woman shouted back.

"Alright, lead the way." Aria yelled.

Narrow pathway was a definite overstatement in Aria's opinion. Despite the cold rain, she was sweating as they made their way down the treacherous foot path. Hardly wider than her foot, she made her way down the path as quick and as she safely could, keeping her back to the rock to avoid being blown off. _Aang, you better be in there. _Aria thought desperately, imagining the return up the path if he wasn't. Reaching the end of the path she flew into the opening of the cave, her heart jumping for joy at the sight of her two companions huddled around a fire and Appa behind them. The old woman had impressively kept up with Aria and pushed into the cave with her. The moment the old woman saw Aang she shuffled quickly forward, seemingly worked up again.

"Please, help! You have to help!" She screeched.

"It's ok! You're safe here!" Katara comforted her, looking at Aria nonplussed.

"But my husband isn't!" The woman responded.

"What do you mean? Where's Sokka?" Katara asked urgently.

"He went out with the fisherman. They haven't come back yet." Aria stated grimly.

"This storm is becoming a typhoon! They must be caught out at sea!" The old woman wailed.

Aang, who had been listening intently until this moment, stood up with a determined look on his face.

"I'm going to find them." He stated grimly.

"I'm going too." Katara stated. Aria pushed her dripping hair back and nodded emphatically; of course she would help.

"Well I'm staying here." The old woman stated adamantly, sitting down next to the fire.

Before letting Appa step out into the rain, Aria deposited their packs on the cave floor, fearful of losing them to the sea. They couldn't afford to replace everything. Her sodden clothes were beginning to give her chills but there was no point in getting dry until Sokka and the fisherman was found. When Katara climbed aboard Aria gave her a questioning glance.

"He's ok now." Katara murmured, "That man just said horrible things…"

Aria nodded but didn't question her any further.

"We'll be back soon, I promise." Aang said solemnly, jumping up onto Appa.

Once again, rain drummed against Aria's head and shoulders, drenching her all over again. Appa's hair lay flat against his body instead of the usual fluffiness. Lightning flashed and sizzled through the air, frighteningly close while the thunder almost deafened them. Great waves roared up over the surface of the ocean, big enough to grab anything in its path and smash it against the bottom. This truly was becoming a typhoon. Appa roared in discomfort, the rain pelting his face.

"Where are they?" Katara asked, shouting to be heard over the storm.

"The boat!" Aang exclaimed, pointing diagonally to the right. "There!"

Aang circled around the small ship and jumped down to the deck while Katara and Aria watched from the saddle, unsure of what to do. With a barely audible creaking, the mast of the ship fell towards the deck of the ship, forcing Aang to split it in half with water bending to avoid being hit. Despite the dangerous situation Aria laughed at the sight of Sokka and the old fisherman clutching so tightly at each other. Securing both of them to the end of a rope, Aang jumped back up onto Appa and towed them up with the help of Katara and Aria. The feeling of safety was short lived however when behind them a wave of gigantic proportions towered above them. Without time to react, it crashed over them and pulled them under the raging sea. Aria almost lost hold of the saddle and panicked, her breath whooshing out in a stream of bubbles. Her chest was screaming for air and her head was starting to spin when suddenly she found herself laying on the saddle once more above water; Aang had bended an air bubble around them and found the surface. Aria's heart jolted into her throat when they flew over Zuko's ship; they were so close! She had had no idea Zuko was so hot on their trail. She managed to catch a glimpse of his upturned face before she sat back in the saddle, unsure of what to think. Their last encounter had not gone anywhere close to how she had hoped. After making it back to the cave to collect their belongings, they dropped the old couple off at the coastal village before flying away; the storm finally abated and the seas peaceful once more.

_The streets were eerily silent without the usual traffic of people running back and forth on errands or standing idly by and chatting with each other. Aria's footsteps echoed in the still air, seeming conspicuously loud. She could see no one in the usually busy streets of the Fire Nation Capital and it scared her; where was everyone? She quickened her stride, eager to find someone, anyone, to explain what was going on. When she passed her father's house she froze; it looked exactly the same yet seemed forbidding, as if only misery could come from ever entering that house again. Quickly she moved on, wanting to escape the malevolent air of the house. Turning the corner in the direction of the theatre house where she had spent so much time, a figure was standing with his back to her at the end of the short street. The hair pulled back in a high ponytail, his stiff upright posture, and the outline of the figure all looked incredibly familiar._

"_Zuko!" Aria shouted, running forward excitedly. She made it to the end of the street and hugged him from behind fiercely, crying like an idiot. When he made to turn around Aria relinquished her hold, wanting to feel his arms around her so badly. As he turned something was wrong and she took another step back; he seemed to grow upward as his shoulders broadened and his body bulked up. _

"_Aria, I knew you'd come to me eventually. In the end, one way or the other, I always win." Zhao stated with amused sarcasm. Aria twisted around to run but he lunged forward and grabbed her arm, snapping her back and holding her tight against him. "Shhhhhhhh, Aria, why fight a battle you cannot win? Give in to the inevitable." _

_Movement over Zhao's shoulder caught Aria's attention; Kon stood with his arms crossed, watching impassively. _

"_Kon! Kon, please help me!" Aria screamed, struggling to get out of Zhao's grip. Once again Aria found herself unable to make use of her bending, as if she had gotten another dose of the horrible drug. "Kon!"_

"_You left you coward." Kon hissed with hatred in his voice, "You condemned me to a life in prison! You deserve this." _

_Zhao laughed and kicked her legs out from under her, making her land hard on her stomach. Aria watched an amused smile spread across Kon's face as Zhao dropped to his knees and yanked her pants down to her knees. _

"Nooo!" Aria screamed, jumping up from her bed roll and backing up against the cold stone wall. Cold sweat beaded up over her body and she shook violently. It took several minutes for her to suppress her shaking and calm down. That dream had played upon almost all of her fears. Huddled up on Appa, Katara and Sokka lay sleeping; they had fallen sick after being out in the storm and were shivering with fever. The small crackling fire was the only other sign of life; Aang was absent. While Aria stayed behind to care for the invalids, Aang had gone to an herbalist nearby to ask for medicine. Following the storm, they had flown quite a ways north to a small abandoned city, the only danger being a nearby Fire Nation post. Shortly after the two water tribe kids had fallen ill. Kicking herself for falling asleep, Aria paced around the spacious room, getting impatient; judging by the position of the sun sinking down below the city line, Aang had been gone a long time.

Deciding their fevers had gotten bad enough she could wait no longer for him, Aria set out to find Aang, worried about the nearness of the Fire Nation. Beyond the perimeter of the eerie city was a large forest and it was in this direction she jogged. She almost didn't notice the small Fire Nation look out hidden in the boughs of the trees as she made her way down a winding forest path. She located the ladder leading to the trap door in the floor and with a brash decision, agilely climbed it, emerging into the cramped hut. Though startled, the two soldiers inside didn't raise an alarm and Aria realized her Fire Nation uniform made all the difference.

"Yeah?" One of them asked gruffly.

"Just making the rounds…" Aria answered vaguely.

"Ok…well everything's good here." A woman answered.

"No sign of the Avatar then?" Aria asked jokingly.

"Well there wouldn't be would there?" The woman said, eyeing her suspiciously.

"What do you mean?" Aria asked nonplussed.

"The Yuyan archers brought him in. He's up in the fortress…I think Zhao's sending him to the Capital." The gruff man answered as if talking to a child.

"Oh…yes…I guess I'm just frazzled today. It's been crazy. Mind if I borrow this?" Aria said distractedly, holding up one of their helmets. She didn't wait for an answer, already making her way back down the ladder with it. Her head was almost spinning with the information she had received; she had to go get him. She'd be alone; Sokka and Katara were too sick to be of any help. "Carry on!" She yelled up the ladder.

"What a weirdo." She distinctly heard the woman mutter but Aria didn't care; she was already running for the fortress. When she finally reached it, she paused, hunkered down in the nearby bushes to assess the situation. The fortress consisted of one main tower, at least ten floors, surrounded by a huge steel wall. From where she was, it was hard to guess but she knew they had to be at least four feet thick judging by the guards pacing along the top. Settling the helmet down over her head, she took a deep breath, calming her nerves. The helmet made her breath seem strangely magnified and it bothered her. As a finishing touch she searched her pockets and withdrew a crumpled piece of parchment. Smoothing it out as best she could, she rolled it into a tube and emerged from the bushes to approach the fort.

"What's your business in Admiral Zhao's fortress?" One of the guards in front of the great gate asked_. Admiral_, Aria thought dryly_, how nice,_ _he was promoted_.

"I bring news for Admiral Zhao from the outer watch posts." Aria answered formally, brandishing the blank roll of parchment.

"Very well, go on through." The man answered dismissively, as if bored with his job.

Aria hustled through and moved quickly, dismissing the small buildings surrounding the main tower; Aang would not be risked in one of these smaller buildings, he'd be held securely in the tower. Making it into the tower, she cast off the helmet, unable to stand the claustrophobic feeling of it any longer. When she saw how many halls branched off in all different directions and just as many doors leading off to who knows where, she started to regret her lack of a plan; he could be anywhere. The sound of coming footsteps got her moving and she hurried silently up the stairs to avoid being seen. Deciding she had to narrow things down or she'd be here all night searching, she ignored doors that were not made of solid metal or not soundly locked; they wouldn't dare risk the Avatar escaping.

By the time she reached the fifth floor she had started ignoring all the doors and looking for one that was surrounded by guards; this was getting ridiculous. It seemed odd that she hadn't ran into anyone yet; it was as if there weren't any soldiers in the actual building itself. That thought was ruined however, when the sound of footsteps ascended the fifth floor stairwell behind her. Aria sprinted down the first side corridor she came to, trying to avoid being seen. The corridor ended at a steel door; a dead end. Luck seemed to be betting against Aria today when the footsteps slowed down to turn into the corridor she was hiding in. Cursing under her breath, her mind kicked into overdrive to think a way out of this. She felt like an idiot; Aang would probably be better off if she left him to his own devices.

With nowhere to go to escape the coming footsteps, Aria adopted a pleasant but bemused expression and changed direction to move toward them. Down the corridor, an upright, middle aged man turned the corner, deeply engrossed in reading a thick scroll. He did not immediately realize someone else occupied the corridor until almost on top of Aria whereupon he stopped in surprise and scowled in confusion. Aria, seizing her chance, sprung forward.

"Oh thank goodness! Sir, could you help me? This place is so big and confusing!" Aria begged innocently, "I think I'm lost!"

The man peered closely at her face, making her uncomfortable.

"Do you have clearance to be here?" He asked suspiciously.

"Of course," Aria answered, quickly decided partial honesty was her best policy, "I'm Aria. Daughter of General Jirou…" Aria waited for a look of recognition in the man's eyes before continuing. "I'm here thanks to Admiral Zhao's courage! The avatar- you did hear right? How that horrible boy captured me! I was so scared…"

When the man nodded, signaling he knew about the situation Aria once more continued.

"Well, when he was captured by the Yuyan archers, Admiral Zhao knew I had to be nearby and he found me! You have no idea what a wonderful sight he was. I thought I would die, but no, I had a powerful protector today…and I was just trying to find him to thank him for his bravery." Aria said dreamily. Aria knew that Zhao was considered a handsome enough man that many girls swooned after him. If she could pull off being a love struck teenager then the man was likely to brush her off and continue whatever it was he had been doing. The praise she was giving Zhao made bile rise in her throat but she ignored it, pasting a sappy smile on her face.

The man smiled as if enjoying a private joke as he listened to the airheaded girl babble on about Zhao. All too soon Aria was let in on what the private joke was; a thick arm draped around her shoulders, pulling her tight up against a body as solid as a tree trunk. Aria's entire body tensed and everything went cold inside. She couldn't make herself look up; there was no way, she'd have to have the worst luck in the world for him to be right here, in this corridor, at this exact moment without her hearing him walk up.

"Aria dear, I had no idea you were so fond of me!" Zhao's voice boomed out. The man and he both laughed, their laughing voices echoing against the metal walls. "Commander Peng, General Jirou's daughter Aria." Zhao graciously introduced the two, "Commander, I also happen to have the honor of her hand; she is my betrothed."

"Congratulations Admiral," Commander Peng said, bowing, "she is splendid."

"Yes, thank you." Zhao answered dismissively, "I came to have you set more guards around the avatar's chamber; I trust your men to do their job. One won't be enough, not with the safety of my Aria at stake."

"Yes sir, of course sir." He answered, his eyes fixed on Aria.

Aria's entire body heated up, wanting to blast Zhao against the wall so badly; his pretended affection for her was so sarcastic and condescending she couldn't believe Peng was buying it. He gave her a squeeze as if he could guess what was going through her mind and turned to leave. When they turned the corner, out of earshot of Peng, Zhao chuckled.

"You have no idea how shocked I was Aria; when I saw you at the end of that hall. I almost ruined your acting but graciously I played along. I'm impressed, I really am; you know how to lie. Of course I'll have to make some changes to perimeter security…So what's my reward? For my bravery and courage? I'm open to suggestions." Zhao said, letting his hand slip lower. Aria elbowed him hard in the ribs and tried to jerk out of his grip but was unsuccessful.

"Oh no, not this time. My precious little lark will not be slipping through the net again; I've got a nice cage prepared. I'm sure you won't find it lacking." Zhao teased. "Unfortunately I don't have time to get you _properly_ settled as I have a speech to give but I promise I'll have plenty of time for that later."

As her physical safety was in no immediate danger, Aria thought it best to avoid the fireworks of fire bending that was sure to bring half the base running to Zhao's aid and cutting off her escape. If she attacked Zhao guards would be on her so fast she could forget about trying to find Aang. For once she was truly at a loss for what to do; Aang was captured somewhere in this base, Katara and Sokka were horribly ill, and here she was, going who knows where with Zhao.

"I assume, seeing as you're here, you know the Avatar has been captured? I'd say this is turning out to be my day." Zhao gloated.

"Have you heard the saying, don't count your turtleducks before they've hatched? The day isn't over yet." Aria pointed out smugly. "Remember how well 'your' day went last time? So I wouldn't be sending for the Firelord quite yet…and don't worry about taking time out of your busy schedule to 'settle' me in anywhere, I don't plan on being here very long."

"You know how to get a man's blood boiling, don't you?" Zhao responded angrily. Abruptly he stopped and threw her against the wall, his hands clenched tightly around her upper arms. "You have no idea how badly I want to teach you to watch your smart mouth right now. This day isn't going to end well for you."

"I dare you to try." Aria answered stiffly, clenching her fists. Zhao's eyes darkened in a strange mixture of rage and desire and he raised his hand up, brushing his thumb across her lips.

"Aria, I promise you, you will pay tenfold for every defiant comment that comes out of that pretty little mouth. And I will enjoy every minute of it." Zhao stated silkily.

Just as quickly as his face had clouded with anger, a smile spread across his face and he resumed walking, towing her along. Aria's mind was blank; she had no idea how she could get out of this fortress. She was confident she could get away from Zhao but what then? Instinctively she knew being sneaky would be more successful than a confrontation; there would be no chance of finding Aang if she started a fight. They reached an opening covered with a hanging curtain, a cold breeze making it flutter slightly. Pushing that aside, they emerged onto a high balcony overlooking what looked like hundreds of soldiers standing in formation. _So this is where everybody was at. _At the sight of Zhao at the railing they all cheered. Releasing his hold on Aria, he raised both hands in the air, silencing the crowd.

"We are sons and daughters of fire; the superior element! Until today only one thing stood in our path to victory, the Avatar! I am here to tell you that he is now my prisoner! This is the year Sozin's Comet returns to grant us its power! This is the year the Fire Nation breaks through the walls of Ba Sing Se and burns the city to the ground!"

The senior officers standing on the balcony with them nodded approvingly, seeming to believe every word that issued from Zhao's mouth. Aria felt sick that Zhao was allowed to lead so many people; he was a great speaker and he managed to make his words ring with truth, hiding their madness.

"The Avatar thought that by harming the innocent," Zhao shouted, pulling Aria forward and holding her hand, "he'd bring us to heel, do as he bids! But he was wrong! For our glorious cause cannot be stopped! We are destined to rule this world, bringing civilization to those who would resist us! We will triumph!"

"Hoorah! Hoorah! Hoorah!" The soldiers shouted below as Zhao smiled in self-satisfaction, releasing Aria's hand.

"I want a full transcript of my speech sent to the Firelord along with glowing recommendations of the senior officers." Zhao dictated to a scribe following after him. After the cheering had died down, Zhao had taken his leave and walked through the corridors, absolutely exuding self-confidence. Once again Aria was unsure of their destination.

"It would seem you're making it to the top on your own…" Aria observed, "I don't think my services are required any longer."

"Oh no, I haven't yet been called back from the front to attend the war councils. But you've already been useful to me. I'm good yes, but I wouldn't have been promoted so quickly through the ranks to Admiral if it hadn't been for your father's influence with the Firelord. And besides…that's far from being the only reason I want you. Like I said before; you need broke and I am incredibly eager to do it. You've gotten to me Aria, crawled under my skin and before I'm done I will be your entire world. You won't dare breathe without my say so."

"You talk awfully tough but…" Aria trailed off, completely forgetting what she had to say; not that Zhao was listening any longer anyway. Lying on the floor of an adjoining corridor were four bound and gagged soldiers, all struggling to get loose. At the end of the corridor a heavy metal door hung ajar with small brown toads dragging themselves out, half frozen. It was such a bizarre sight that Aria stopped pulling against Zhao and stared.

"What-" Aria asked confused.

"The Avatar!" Zhao almost screamed in fury. Rounding on Aria he slapped her hard in the face, "You were sent here as a distraction weren't you? The filthy water tribe peasants! WHERE ARE THEY?"

"I don't-" Aria began, her face smarting and thoroughly bewildered; where was Aang? Who helped him to escape?

"Don't you dare tell me you don't know." Zhao growled menacingly, he grabbed a fistful of her shirt and yanked her closer, her tip toes barely scraping the floor.

"I don't know where he's at! I came alone; I have no idea who could have helped him! The water tribe kids are sick!" Aria spilled out in a rush before he could interrupt her. Snarling in disgust, Zhao threw her down, making her land hard on her side, and ran down the corridor, raising the alarm.

Amazingly, Aria found herself alone and quickly jumped to her feet though unsure of what to do. The same question bounced around and around inside her head; who had helped Aang? Quickly formulating a plan, she took off down the hall; looking for anyone she could snag to help her. _Please be someone gullible, please be someone gullible._ Tearing down stairways and corridors, Aria though unsure of where she was at, headed in a generally downward direction. Finally, when she judged she had reached the second floor, a soldier passed running in the opposite direction.

"Sir, please sir!" Aria shouted after him, sounding panicked. The man skidded to a stop and turned, looking impatient, "Thank goodness you stopped. I'm sure you know the Avatar has escaped! Admiral Zhao told me to evacuate the fortress as quick as possible in case the Avatar comes after me again! He said to avoid the front gate but I don't know how else to get out of here!"

Taking only a second to deliberate, the soldier turned and ran back down the stairs, yelling at Aria to follow him. They quickly reached the ground floor and ran in the opposite direction of the other soldiers summoned by Zhao. Blowing through a heavy metal door, Aria found herself outside the back of the fortress and headed toward a small one person gate recessed in the perimeter wall. True night had fallen while she had wasted time in the fortress and a pang of worry shot through Aria; Sokka and Katara had been alone since early this evening, what if they got worse?

"You have to use fire bending to open it." The soldier explained, putting his hand over a hole near the gate and bending fire into it. With a creak the door opened and Aria bounded through it, incredibly relieved to have the concealing forest so close to run into.

"Where did he want you to go now?" The soldier asked.

"Sorry, I really am…" Aria said, twirling around to face him. The man's mouth opened in confusion when Aria blasted him against the wall, knocking him out. She checked to make sure he was only unconscious; hopefully he would remember nothing to get him in trouble though that was not the case. Apparently after the chaos died down, he had been taken to Zhao and punished severely.

Aria booked it to the woods in the direction of the abandoned city where Katara and Sokka were waiting. Seeing as she had no idea where Aang was at she felt like her only option was to make it back to Appa and hope he made it there also. Worried for Aang and scared Zhao would notice her missing and send soldiers in pursuit, Aria ran like mad; her legs firing like pistons, jumping over fallen logs and tangled branches. It was incredibly dark under the trees and occasionally Aria grazed herself on low hanging branches. After several minutes of the headlong sprint Aria slowed to a jog, thoroughly winded. When she reached the edges of the abandoned city she slowed even further to a walk, winding her way through the many streets to the building she had left the others in. In the time it had taken her to get back the sun had risen once more, making the white washed buildings seem garishly bright.

Aria couldn't bring herself to question the odd sight of Katara and Sokka sucking on toads with Aang sound asleep on Appa's tail; at the moment she was just plain tired. Climbing up into the saddle and sprawling out she managed to stay awake for a few seconds longer.

"We should probably leave; they'll have soldiers out looking for us soon." Aria mumbled, falling into a deep sleep.


	20. Chapter 20

The black of night slowly faded into gray, taking the stars with it and bringing the surrounding area into sharper relief; Aria was awake to witness the sun spreading bright tendrils of light through the still dusky sky, the woods coming alive with the sound of birds waking up. Absentmindedly she tossed small twigs into the fire and watched them turn cherry red before burning away into nothing. She had been at this for hours, unable to sleep after the information Aang had shared with her. As they flew away from the abandoned city, while Katara and Sokka lay fast asleep in the saddle, Aria had crawled up to Appa's head to join Aang, eager to find out who had come to his aid. Zuko. Zuko had saved Aang. Apparently, disguised in a grinning blue mask, Zuko had also infiltrated the fortress and released Aang, fighting their way out and eventually being carried unconscious to safety. Questions swirled in uncontrolled chaos through Aria's mind; how had he known Aang was captured so quickly? How had he so efficiently found out he was being held at the fortress and released him? Did he do it out of a change of heart or for his own benefit? Perhaps he was turning another leaf and helping the Avatar. _I suppose we could be traitors together, _she thought with a sort of grim humor.

Beneath her anxiety over Zuko's involvement at the fortress was a constant stab of embarrassment, making her want to dig herself a deep hole and lay in it for a good long while. Her rescue attempt had been nothing more than ridiculous. Her lack of planning and complete idiotic handling of the situation had benefited no one and made her cheeks burn red with humiliation. She was lucky Zhao had been enraged enough to forget about her; she shuddered to think what could have happened in that fortress. As soon as things started going wrong it was as if she just reacted, no plan or thought, just action; a dangerous game to play. It was time to start rethinking her habit of charging into things with no thought of consequences.

An overly dramatic yawn coming from the lumpy pile of furs that was Sokka caught her attention and she incinerated the rest of the twigs she was holding in her hand, letting the ash tip out of her palm. There was no point in dwelling over things she couldn't currently change. Maybe once they were safely at the North Pole waiting for Aang to master Waterbending she could turn her attention to the more difficult problems like Zuko.

"Feeling better then?" Aria asked Sokka, seeing him sit up out of the corner of her eye. Sokka seemed to deliberate for a moment, his hair tousled and eyes heavily crusted with sleep.

"Much." He answered somewhat hoarsely. "Do we have any food?"

"I didn't make anything if that's what you're asking." Aria answered, frowning slightly.

"Well what've you been doing?" Sokka demanded indignantly.

"Not playing your mother…but I'm sure I could find you another toad." Aria answered jokingly. Reaching for her pack, she pulled out a wrapped package of jerked meat and threw it at him, "There, chew on that."

With a series of grumpy mutterings, Sokka dug into the meat eagerly, not bothering to make conversation. Within the next few minutes both Katara and Aang also emerged from their bed rolls, stretching and yawning, eager for breakfast. They sat around the fire wolfing down the jerked meat that was the last of the food they had packed along, washing it down with the cold water Katara had drawn from the creek that ran by their campsite. Sokka and Katara's bickering made it immediately apparent that the two had recovered nicely.

After realizing his fishing line had been commandeered by Aang for a necklace, Sokka charged into the creek they had camped by and attempted to catch a fish with his hands. Aria stood up, brushing the dirt off her pants and watched Sokka floundering in the water; the fish was giving him a run for his money and it was hilarious. Though Sokka's trials were infinitely amusing to her, she really hoped he got it; fish would be a refreshing change of diet. She glanced behind her at Aang and Katara and had to do a double take. Aang was staring at Katara with big doe eyes, looking completely smitten at her modeling the necklace he had made. How long had that been going on Aria wondered curiously.

"You fancy her." Aria murmured slyly, low enough that only Aang could hear. Aang jumped as if bitten, flushing a deep crimson and bounding away, busying himself with packing any stray things away on Appa's back. Sokka continued floundering around in the creek, making kissing noises to mock Aang. Trying to refrain from laughing at Sokka's crude humor, Aria called out to him, "Sokka, I feel like that fish has earned the right to live, let him go."

Sokka did drop the fish when a huge roar echoed through the area coming from further down the creek. Aria jumped and turned quickly in the direction of the roar, somewhat apprehensive. Whatever had made that noise sounded like the beginning of trouble. When the roar repeated itself the group scrambled over the rocks, curious to a fault. The source of the roar was a huge beast, standing on its hind legs and pawing the air. Covered in dense brown fur, a wide duck like bill covered the bottom half of its face and a smooth, flattened tail slapped the ground.

"Someone's being attacked by a platypus bear!" Aang cried out. A man with a content smile on his face stood with his arms behind his back, fluidly dodging the ferocious swipes of the platypus bear's clawed paws. Aria was starting to wonder about the weirdness she had encountered since leaving the Fire Nation; did the people of the world seriously behave this way? It seemed like every day was some new oddity they had to deal with. The platypus bear roared in frustration, his giant paws hitting nothing but empty air. His beady eyes seemed to bulge in fury and he whirled, slapping at the man with his flat tail.

"Well hello there!" The man called out when he spotted them, "Nice day isn't it?"

"Make lots of noise!" Aang shouted at him, "He'll run off!"

"No play dead, he'll lose interest!" Sokka argued, running closer.

"Oh close one!" The man laughed as the platypus bear swung at him once again.

"Run downhill!" Katara cried out, "Then climb a tree!"

Aria remained silent but watched in amazement as the man slid fluidly back and forth, evading the enraged animal. The other three had no shortage of suggestions that they yelled at the man; apparently, each of them an expert at dealing with Platypus Bears.

"Should we help him?" Aria asked in bewilderment.

"No need it's going to be fine." The man answered calmly.

At a particularly close call, Aang jumped between the man and beast, blowing a gust of wind to make the platypus bear pause. The bear reared up to his full height, ready to send Aang flying, when Appa roared and came bowling up behind the platypus bear. His size dwarfed even the platypus bear and, after pausing only long enough to lay an enormous egg, the platypus bear fled.

"Lucky for you we came along." Sokka stated cockily, picking up the egg.

"Thank you but everything was already under control." The man answered politely, bowing in their direction. "Not to worry, Aunt Wu predicted I'd have a safe journey."

"Aunt Who?" Aang asked.

""No, Aunt Wu; she's the fortune teller from my village." He answered solemnly. "Awful nice knowing your future."

"Wow it must be! That explains why you were so calm!" Katara exclaimed. Aria snorted in contempt; fortune tellers were nothing more than frauds trying to make easy money. Nobody could tell you your destiny.

"There is no way you're being serious." Aria said to Katara.

"The fortune teller was wrong! You didn't have a safe journey, you were almost killed." Sokka pointed out, holding on to his egg protectively.

"But I wasn't." The man persisted, "All right, have a good one! Oh! And Aunt Wu said if I meet any traveler to give them this." He handed Aang a long, slim package and walked off into the woods.

"Maybe we should go see Aunt Wu and learn our fortunes." Katara suggested hopefully. "It could be fun."

"Oh come on," Sokka complained while Aang ripped open the package, "fortune telling is nonsense."

"What do you know, an umbrella!" Aang said just as a crack of thunder boomed across the sky and rain let loose.

"That proves it!" Katara cried excitedly. Aria frowned as she squished under the umbrella with Katara and Aang; it was just a coincidence. Anybody could have guessed it would rain; it's spring time.

"No it doesn't!" Sokka argued, "You can't really tell the future."

"I guess you're not really getting wet then." Katara replied pettily.

The two water tribe kids argued the entire walk to Aunt Wu's village. The walk seemed to take forever with the heavy rain, muddy road, and constant bickering. By the end Sokka looked ready to explode; he was soaking wet and had lost his egg. The rain cleared and a cold breeze picked up just as the village came into sight at the base of an enormous mountain. The village was full of white washed buildings with gold trim, the streets cobbled and kept neat. They passed a conspicuous looking building on the main road of the village; it stood taller than the rest with a huge, perfectly circular door set in the front. A tall, upright man with pure white hair stood sentinel at the door, completely emotionless. As they approached, the man stepped forward and opened the door.

"Aunt Wu is expecting you." He stated solemnly, in a deep clear voice. Aria stared at him suspiciously as she stepped through the door way. The interior was simply furnished with a low table and cushions lining the wall. The walls and floors were a deep brown wooden paneling.

"My name is Meng." A small girl with bushy hair waited inside. "And I'm Aunt Wu's assistant."

"Can I get you some tea or some of Aunt Wu's special bean curd puffs?" Meng asked, eyeing Aang appreciatively.

"Just tea." Aria answered brusquely, barely glancing in her direction. Sometimes Aria caught herself being borderline rude to people in a service position. Growing up in her father's house had taught her some bad habits; servants existed only for other people's pleasure, not worthy of notice.

"I'll try a curd puff." Sokka answered, always eager for food.

"Just a second." Meng answered shortly, leaning over Aang. Aria glanced sharply up at her; what a snot. "So what's your name?"

"Aang." He answered shortly. Aria had to take a deep breath to keep from saying something mean to the little girl; she would not be like her father. As tortuous as it was to admit, she had a lot of her father in her; perhaps that was why they were always at war with each other. The stubbornness, the willfulness, the smart mouth she took when dealing with some people; Aria certainly didn't get any of these things from her meek mother.

"That rhymes with Meng!" She gushed excitedly. "And you've got some pretty big ears don't you? Well Aang, it's very nice to meet you. Very nice."

"Likewise." Aang responded politely as Meng retreated to a back room.

"I can't believe we're here in the house of nonsense." Sokka complained, reclining back and splaying his legs out in front of him.

"Try to keep an open mind, Sokka." Katara responded irritably. "There's things in this world that just can't be explained. Wouldn't it be nice to have some insight into your future?"

"It would be nice to have some bean curd puffs." Sokka responded stubbornly as Katara scowled.

"And tea…" Aria added. "But in all seriousness, why waste time trying to figure out what might happen? Spend too much time worrying about the future and you don't get to live out your present. And besides, how could someone possibly know the future? There are so many different choices, not just your own, that make things happen. It just can't be possible."

Katara didn't seem to have an answer to that and they lapsed into silence, broken only when Meng finally showed up with tea and bean curd puffs carefully balanced on a tray. Aria was inhaling the steam rising from her cup of tea when a door panel in the back wall slid open and a dignified looking woman with grey streaked hair, in a yellow robe stepped out; Aunt Wu.

"Welcome young travelers!" Aunt Wu exclaimed, "Now, who's next? Don't be shy."

"I guess that's me!" Katara gushed excitedly, hopping up when the other three averted their eyes.

Aria, Sokka, and Aang waited in the front room, making small talk and speculating on what Aunt Wu could be telling Katara. Aria took another sip of the bland tea when Aang stood to go to the bathroom and Sokka stuffed his face with the bean curd puffs. After what seemed like ages Aang came back smiling from ear to ear. Aria watched him carefully, wondering what he could have found in the bathroom that had made him so happy but on further speculation, decided she might not want to know. Katara and Aunt Wu followed shortly after Aang.

"Who's next?" Aunt Wu asked.

"I guess I'll get this over with." Sokka said, standing up and stretching.

"Your future is filled with anguish and struggle; most of it self-inflicted." Aunt Wu stated flatly.

"But you didn't read my palms or anything!" Sokka complained indignantly.

"I don't need to; it's written all over your face." She responded.

Sokka sat back down with a thump while Aang followed Aunt Wu back. Aria remained silent, allowing Katara to gush about everything Aunt Wu had seen in her future. Most of it seemed to Aria to be generalizations that could happen to anybody. Of course Katara had a high possibility of marrying a powerful bender; they were all over the place! Aang seemed to be gone a bit longer before emerging from the back room with Aunt Wu; Aunt Wu looking vexed and Aang once again beaming.

When the fortuneteller's expectant eyes fell on Aria, Aria hesitated briefly before climbing to her feet; she had to remind herself there was nothing to be worried about, fortunetelling was nothing more than a cheap parlor trick. As Aunt Wu slid the door shut behind them, Aria surveyed the room carefully. A small fire burned in the middle of the wood paneled floor, surrounded by plush cushions and rich green tapestries were hung about the walls. The room seemed to smell of rich earth and spices. Oddly enough, there were fragments of bone scattered all around the fire. Kneeling by the fire, Aunt Wu motioned for Aria to join her.

"Pick a bone my dear; it is the most reliable way to tell one's future. As the heat cracks the bone I will be able to tell you what lies ahead." Aunt Wu stated, gesturing to a bowl filled with bones next to the fire. Gingerly, Aria picked one off the very top and tossed it into the fire.

Aunt Wu stayed silent a long while, her forehead creased in a frown as the studied the bone intently; small, spidery lines were forming along the whole length of the bone. The fire made the room sweltering hot and a bead of sweat ran down the wrinkled face of the older woman. Aria chewed on her bottom lip, feeling vaguely uneasy. At last Aunt Wu sat back, exhaling loudly.

"Well, you have an interesting story to say the least." She stated blandly. "First, I will say, you must not trust your heart's current alliance. He yearns for something deeply. He wants it so badly he may sacrifice everything, even his love for you, to get it."

Aria struggled to keep her face neutral, ignoring the stab of pain that lanced through her chest; what did this stupid old fraud know anyway? Zuko would never purposely hurt her…

"I see you are unhappy with what I have to say." Aunt Wu observed, "Do you still want me to continue?"

"Yes, of course." Aria answered automatically, attempting to make light of the situation.

"Sometime, very soon, you will have to choose between continuing on your current path or returning to your roots. Weigh each choice carefully; the consequences have the potential to change this war. Do not be lured by false promises."

Aria stared stonily back at Aunt Wu, attempting to decipher the cryptic warning.

"I'll need something more concrete than that to be considered a believer." Aria said stubbornly, refusing to play into the dramatics.

"I was not finished." Aunt Wu answered curtly, "By the end of this summer, you will be reunited with your father. I sense nothing but anguish in this meeting…but for who? This meeting very well might spell your doom. Be fearful Aria, daughter of Jirou, your path is filled with traps and hidden dangers; even one false step and you will lose everything."

Aria stared at her in bewilderment for a moment before standing up and stalking towards the door. How had this woman known who she was? Nobody outside the group and the Fire Nation should know she was Jirou's daughter.

"Aria!" Aunt Wu's voice cracked out, sharp and commanding. Aria stopped in the doorway, her shoulders squared and refusing to look back. "If it is any consolation, the future is a place filled with half formed shadows and fog. I see the shadows of the path you have chosen but there are alternatives that I am also able to glimpse. The future is not written in stone. You have potential but only you can decide; will you be a great terror upon this world, as your father has been, or will you help to save it?"

As the group was ushered out of the fortuneteller's residence, Aria was silent. What did she mean by that parting comment? Aria had already made her decision; she had denied her upbringing and was aiding the avatar. Why was it being brought up as a future issue?

"Now you got to see for yourselves, fortunetelling is just a big stupid hoax!" Sokka declared loudly.

"You're just saying that because you're going to make yourself unhappy for the rest of your life." Katara shot back, "Hey, Aria, what did she tell you?"

"Doom and gloom." Aria answered sarcastically. The look on her face did not encourage anymore questions and Katara and Sokka resumed arguing.

After several minutes of walking, they came upon a group of people staring at the sky in front of a raised pavilion. None paid any attention to the group as they walked up, curious to know what was going on.

"What's with the sky?" Katara asked simply.

"We're waiting for Aunt Wu to come read the clouds." A man answered dreamily. Aria gave a cursory glance at the sky but saw nothing unusual and resumed her brooding. "To predict the fate of the village."

"That cloud kind of looks like a fluffy bunny!" Aang said brightly.

"You better hope not. A fluffy bunny forecasts doom and destruction." The man answered sagely.

"Do you even hear yourself?" Sokka asked irritably.

"The clouds will tell us if the volcano will remain dormant another year or if it will erupt." A woman chimed in.

Sticking around long enough for Aunt Wu to pronounce the village safe using a guide book with depictions of the clouds, the group then headed to the room they had rented out for the night. After much resistance on Aria and Sokka's part, they decided to stay a few days and rest. As the days wore on, Katara was increasingly absent as she haunted Aunt Wu's house on a regular basis. Aang also tended to disappear as he followed around after Katara like a lost puppy or Sokka, looking for advice on girls. Sokka, though still grumbling, explored the town, determined to prove Aunt Wu a fraud. For the most part, Aria remained in their rooms, grudgingly brooding over Aunt Wu's predictions.

Inexplicably, a feeling of dread increased every day that they stayed; she felt as if any minute word would spread and the Fire Nation would come descending down upon them. The avatar was big news; it was bound to get around as it had on Kyoshi. Then finally, on the fifth day of staying in the village, the reason for Aria's discomfort became apparent. She was reclining on her sleeping pallet, attempting, perhaps unwisely, to split energy to create lightning, when a thump at the window made her jump up. Earlier she had propped the window shutters open and now a small hawk sat, perched on the sill. To its leg was attached a small, rolled up parchment; a Fire Nation messenger hawk. Aria's heart sank. With trembling fingers, Aria detached the small scroll; as soon as it was free from the binding, the hawk took off, soaring high up and soon out of sight. It was feasible that word got around that they were here but how did the hawk know which building to go to? Was there a spy here in the village? Aria would never find out. In the light of the setting sun, Aria began to read and with each line her eyes grew wider.

Aria,

I have received several reports detailing your actions from Admiral Zhao. I must say I thought even you above such reprehensible behavior. I will not pretend to know what you hope to accomplish with this ridiculous farce of a rebellion but I am prepared to extend you an offer you'd do well to accept. First, you will surrender yourself to Admiral Zhao at the first opportunity, making every effort to bring the Avatar in with you as I know you are traveling with him. If for some reason you find yourself bested by two water tribe peasants and a boy not yet entered into manhood, you will remain with Admiral Zhao as long as it takes you to inform him of any knowledge you have of the Avatar as well as possibly participating in his capture. Should Admiral Zhao deem any other service from you as necessary, you will do so before returning to the Capital. Once in the Capital, you will maintain the story that you were abducted. You will swear an oath to me as well as the Firelord affirming yourself a loyal Fire Nation Citizen owing fealty to Firelord Ozai. Should you meet these conditions, you will have my mercy and I will welcome you back into the Fire Nation. As I know you are so against it, I will push back your wedding night until the end of this stage of the war during which time you will be at relative liberty to do as you will within the Capital. Finally, what I suspect may sway your decision, should you accept my terms, I will meet with Firelord Ozai to discuss Zuko's banishment. As you know, my influence with the Firelord is not insignificant, I have already breached the subject with him and he is considering allowing Zuko to return home provided you do your part in delivering the Avatar. You will have no contact with him outside of required formal occasions but you will be able to rest easy with the knowledge that your "lover" is safe at home with honor intact. Can you live with yourself, knowing you held the Princes fate in your hands and you turned your back on him to maintain this childish rebellion? Aria, you are my daughter and therefore cannot be completely stupid, make the right decision. Though you have acted rashly, I am willing to overlook your insolent disobedience this once. Should you deny my offer, and come into my hands by other means, your future will be most bleak. I await your reply by hawk.

Jirou

Aria stared blankly at the letter, a rush of emotions washing across her. The letter was written in Jirou's own hand; obviously too sensitive an issue to entrust to a steward. Still, it was surprising that he had spared a thought for his wayward daughter. She could almost hear the sneering, sarcastic voice her father had used when saying 'lover'. Disgusted, she crumpled the letter in her hands and almost incinerated it but hesitated. She smoothed the paper back out and reread the letter. There was no way she could agree to it but…Zuko. Could she hope her father could really sway the Firelord? Turning Aang in was out of the question but maybe she didn't have to. Though her father seemed to think otherwise, it was all too possible that in a fight, Aria would lose against the others. She would just tell Zhao they were headed somewhere in the Earth Kingdom or something. Suddenly Aria realized she was actually considering it and she balled the paper up again, furious with herself, but instead of destroying it, shoved it into her pack.

Aria jumped up in alarm when the other three burst into the room; she felt absurdly guilty, as is she had been caught doing something wrong. All three had flushed faces, apparently they had ran all the way here.

"Aunt Wu was wrong!" Aang cried out.

"What?" Aria asked, not comprehending at first.

"The volcano is going to erupt!" Sokka butted in. "Let's go! We have to warn the village!"

Aria looked as if she was going to question them further but when the entire room started shaking around them and a low rumbling noise permeated the air, she instantly shut her mouth and followed them. Outside, the truth of their claims was evident; the volcano belched out great black clouds of smoke, making the bright afternoon turn dusky grey. Not completely ignorant, several of the villagers had gathered in the square; some watching the volcano with concern, most still looking complacent.

"Aunt Wu was wrong!" Sokka shouted at the gathered villagers, several scoffed, amused at Sokka's claims.

"We know you don't believe in Aunt Wu." A woman pointed out.

"If you won't listen to him, maybe you'll listen to me." Katara said, stepping forward, "I want to believe Aunt Wu and her predictions as much as you do but my brother and the Avatar saw the lava with their own eyes!"

"Well I heard Aunt Wu's prediction with my own ears!" A man answered stubbornly.

"Please listen to us! You are all in danger!" Aang cried out, soaring up to the roof of the nearest building. "We have to get out of here! You can't rely on Aunt Wu's prediction! You have to take fate into your own hands!"

As if to support Aang, the ground again rumbled violently making several people lose balance and fall to the ground. Aria steadied herself with a hand on a wall of the house Aang was perched on, barely managing to stay on her feet; the letter was completely on her mind and the present goings on seemed unimportant.

"Look, can your fortunetelling explain that?" Sokka shouted, pointing at the volcano spewing smoke.

"Can your science explain why it rains?" A man asked stubbornly.

"Yes, yes it can!" Sokka screamed, losing his self-control. Despite any effort on Sokka's part, the villagers were starting to lose interest and soon dispersed back to whatever they had been doing.

"They just won't listen to reason." Katara observed disappointedly.

"But they will listen to Aunt Wu!" Aang added. Aria listened without interest as Aang detailed a plan to steal Aunt Wu's cloud book and bend the clouds to forecast doom.

An hour later, after Aunt Wu had seen doom for the village in the clouds, the villagers were mobilizing to prepare the village for the volcano's eruption; the grotesque skull shaped cloud Aang and Katara had created with their bending hanging over them all. Trenches were being dug by a combination of earth bending and manpower to divert the lava to the river. Sweat beaded on Aria's brow as she brought the shovel down into the dark earth again, working mechanically. Though her muscles protested against the manual labor, the work was well suited for the purpose of thinking through her options. It was a task that kept the body busy but allowed the mind to wander.

The letter. The stupid letter. It infuriated her. To her chagrin, her father's tone was impersonal and almost detached; it was as if he really couldn't care less if she took his offer or not. She threw another spade full of dirt out of the ditch. She was starting to wonder why Jirou had even bothered fathering a child since apparently he couldn't bring himself to care beyond what her actions might mean for him. With horror she realized how much the thought hurt and she redoubled her efforts on clearing the ditch. She had thought she had gotten to a point that her father's actions no longer mattered to her, that he could go die for all she cared because she didn't need his approval or love; she knew now she was no better than the stupid little girl who used to cry when Jirou ignored her efforts. Aria spluttered and dropped her spade when a huge clump of dirt exploded in her face. Wiping her eyes angrily, she peered around for the culprit, mad enough to spit, and spotted Sokka, not ten feet away.

"What's wrong with you?" Aria demanded furiously.

"What's wrong with you?" Sokka retorted, "You didn't even try to duck! And you've been digging in the same spot for at least twenty minutes; we don't need a hole, we need a ditch."

Aria glanced down and realized she had been digging a hole; it had to be around two feet deep.

"Get away from me." Aria said bluntly, stooping to pick up the shovel.

"You better get your head out of wherever you stuck it or you're going to get yourself hurt." Sokka stated before stalking off.

Another rumble rocked the earth and the first sight of lava exploded out of the volcano. Aria scrabbled up the side of the ditch, clutching at loose roots to pull herself up. All around the villagers were climbing their way out and Aria began offering her hand, helping them to safety.

"Everyone needs to evacuate!" Aang yelled, several yards off. "We'll come for you when it's safe!"

The earth was now in constant motion and Aria felt drunk as she wobbled her way over to where Sokka and Katara were watching the volcano, fear reflecting in their glassy eyes. Great clouds of grey and black ash descended on the village, making it hard to breathe and limiting visibility. Aria pulled her undershirt up over her mouth and nose, trying to take a deep breath. They stood huddled together, the village empty, waiting for the oncoming lava to reach the freshly dug ditches. Anything the lava touched burst instantly into flame as it crept down the mountain, an unstoppable force of nature. As it poured into the ditch, Aria could feel the intense heat hit her face, hotter than anything she had felt in her life. It felt as if the skin on her face was cracking and would soon peel away.

"It's too much! It's going to overflow!" Katara yelled in panic.

With another heave, the volcano belched up another wave of the liquid fire; Katara was right. With the two water tribe kids, Aria retreated when small rocks began to rain down around them. Aang alone stood his ground, his jaw set in determination. Screaming out a battle cry worthy of a great warrior, Aang leapt into the air, manipulating the air around him. Grunting again, he let out a huge vortex of wind, so powerful the lava cooled instantly, forming a great wall around half the village.

"Sometimes I forget how powerful a bender that kid is." Sokka said in awe. Aria nodded slowly, agreeing; that was insane.

It took another day before the village was cleared of ash and rock and the villagers could resume their normal schedules. By the end of that day, the group said their goodbyes and climbed on Appa. Aria was thoroughly tired of the village and fortunetelling. Sitting on Appa and looking at the beautiful wall the lava had formed, Aria decided she didn't care about anything Aunt Wu had said; she would be responsible for her own destiny.


	21. Chapter 21

The breeze that rippled the surface of the water held promises of long, warm days and clear starry nights. What only a week ago had been merely buds had now burst into bloom, dotting the shore and surrounding hills with bright spots of color. Aria scooped up a handful of flowers with delicate white petals and an eye of bright yellow, inhaling the pleasantly mellow scent. Spring and summer were her seasons; the time she felt most in her element and happy. Let the Water Tribes keep their inhospitable cold; she was a creature of the sun. Deftly she wove the flimsy long stems of the flowers into a loose ring, keeping only one back to put in her own hair.

"Are you coming?" Katara called back, a few yards ahead. Aria broke into an easy jog to catch up, depositing the flower ring on Katara's head when she reached her. On their left was the coast, carrying in with each tide the scent of brine and the soothing, regular sound of the waves crashing against rock and beach. On their right was a gradual hill blanketed with rich green grass and flowers, leading up into a loosely populated wood. They were angling their way gradually to the trees with the intent of gathering any food available before taking to the sky once more. When they reached the edge of the wood, Aria balked.

"Can we eat lunch out here?" She asked, really not wanting to forsake the hot sun for the cool shadowy halls the trees ruled over.

"I am pretty hungry…" Aang answered.

Sokka deliberated for several seconds, seeming to war with the idea of food and time efficiency, before agreeing and dropping his pack. The others did the same and pulled out the meager amount of food they had left, deciding to eat it cold rather than light a fire. When Aria reached in her own pack for food her hand brushed against the balled up letter from her father and she almost recoiled. She had been pushing off dealing with it and the reminder of its existence was unwelcome. The nice day had driven the idea of it to the back of her mind. Without ceremony, they reclined on the cushiony grass, eating leisurely; it was just so hard to hurry in the light of such a beautiful day. A ways away, Appa was rolling himself in the grass, roaring with pleasure as Momo looked on. When he stood again, great tufts of white hair and crushed grass remained.

They ate in silence for several minutes before, her mouth full of food, Katara jumped and stared at Aria with wide eyes. Aria looked down at her shirt and ran her hand over her face, thinking there must be something on her.

"Aria!" Katara exclaimed.

"What?" Aria asked, bewildered, glancing quickly behind her.

"You're a firebender!"

"Yes…" Aria confirmed slowly, nonplussed.

"You could teach Aang! He needs to learn firebending and you're the only friendly firebender we know that isn't trying to kill us!" Katara said excitedly. "Why haven't we thought of that before?"

"I guess…" Aria answered doubtfully, surveying Aang who was listening attentively.

"Well why not?" Sokka asked, "Katara is teaching him waterbending."

"Sure, I'm just not sure where to start." Aria answered slowly, "I've never tried to teach anyone a move that weren't already Firebenders."

"But I am a Firebender technically!" Aang said brightly, "I just haven't used it yet."

"Alright…if you want to." Aria answered.

"Right now?" Aang asked, bouncing to his feet.

Aria stuffed her mouth before dusting off her hands and standing up. Gesturing to Aang, she walked off a little ways away from the others; fire could be dangerous. Aang skipped along eagerly, asking endless questions about Firebending. Turning to face Aang, Aria quickly retreated a few steps when finding he was so close they almost whacked each other in the face.

"Ok, so, the strength of your Firebending depends on having a strong base and breathing. Fire needs oxygen right?" Aria began, almost laughing when Aang immediately widened his stance and began taking ridiculously deep breaths. "And from what I've seen of Airbending and Waterbending, it's much more passive; Firebending is all about attack. A schoolmate of mine used to say the best defense is a strong offense. I agree. So you'll have to change your mentality. For now we'll just focus on technique and being able to perform the moves at all but in the future you'll need ferocity to be a successful Firebender."

Aang grimaced at the prospect of being ruthless in his fighting but nodded, ready to start. Aria paced a few feet away and settled down into the horse stance, aware of Katara and Sokka watching intently from a safe distance.

"Ok, Fire Jabs are the most common attack for Firebenders simply because it's easy. So we'll start with that." Aria announced. In one fluid motion, Aria raised her arms as if about to fight and darted one fist forward, punching an invisible opponent and shooting a bright burst of blue flame several feet before it dispersed. "You got it?"

"Maybe I need to see it again…" Aang answered slowly, averting his eyes. Aria said nothing but let off three more Fire Jabs in quick succession; she wasn't going to judge him for being nervous.

"It's that simple. You're not fighting anyone, no pressure, just let it loose." Aria stated calmly.

Aang nodded and took a deep breath before settling back down into the horse stance. With a look of supreme concentration, Aang drew back his arm and sent it flying forward but nothing happened. His face fell and he looked askance of Aria.

"Well…you might have just given someone a bloody nose." Aria said, trying to make light of the failure. "It's alright, just do it again, it was your first try!"

Again and again Aang punched the air, with no result. Aria tried explaining differently and showed him over and over again but was completely perplexed; she didn't know how to make him produce fire. His form seemed fine yet there was still a lack of flame. After almost twenty minutes of this she told him to stop, frustrated.

"When you bend air and water, what do you do?" Aria asked, "Do you access some sort of feeling or what?"

"I don't know! It just feels natural!" Aang whined, just as frustrated, "I don't have to create anything with water and air! It's already there! I don't know how to create fire!"

"You've got everything you need for fire!" Aria argued, trying desperately to hang onto her quickly dissipating patience. "I told you fire needs oxygen, which we have an abundance of, and your bending, which fuels it. I imagine that wherever you get the power to bend water and air, fire bending is the same so let's go!"

"It's not fair; you've been doing it your whole life!" Aang argued.

"You're the Avatar!" Aria retorted, "You were born with the ability the same as me. Figure it out."

When Aang's jaw jutted out at a stubborn angle, Aria sighed, rubbing her forehead. She really wasn't teacher material…

"Ok, take a break. Let me think about it." Aria said, walking off. After walking a ways, she stopped and began trying to create lightening; having to concentrate so hard on something almost always made her let go of strong emotion. She had to, to be able to control something as unpredictable as lightening. With an enormous effort, Aria managed to separate the energies and slowly she twirled the insane amount of energy between her hands, the bright light searing its image into her corneas so when she blinked the ghost image still remained. Her hair crackled and she could feel the static, almost like a physical thing. The lightening bound away into the blue sky when an idea occurred to Aria, making her lose concentration. It was so much easier for her to create the lightening during the storm, when the environment was already creating it naturally. Today there wasn't a cloud in sight, so it had been incredibly difficult to do for her as she was still figuring it out. Perhaps that could work in Aang's favor as well.

With a loud rushing noise, a good sized patch of grass went up in flame with Aang looking on dubiously and Aria smiling. Katara and Sokka crept closer, curious. Aria concentrated on keeping it from spreading while she instructed Aang.

"I took the hard part out. You don't have to create it, just control it. Make it do anything, I don't care. Put it out, move it, use it to attack, whatever; as long as you use firebending to do it." Aria stated.

"What?" Aang asked, as if he hadn't understood.

"I'm going to quit controlling this and you're going to start. Like I said, do what you want. Attack me if you want since I'm sure you've probably been fantasizing about that since we started this lesson. At the very least you'll have to contain it to keep it from burning down everything." Aria reiterated. Aang stared at the fire with wide eyes but got in position, raising his hands to chest level.

Aria released her control over the fire and back pedaled quickly, slightly worried about what Aang might do. The fire instantly started snatching greedily at the surrounding grass, turning it first bright red then black and then moving on to the next tuft. Aang took a deep breath drew his hands in and the fire contracted, retreating to its original boundaries. Aria smiled and relaxed her tensed muscles; he was doing it. A brilliant smile lit up Aang's face and he looked at Aria.

"What should I do now?" Aang asked eagerly.

"Um…just try a fire jab. It'll be a little different since you're not sending it straight from your hand but you should still be able to do the same move, it'll just be bigger since you're working with more fire." Aria answered.

With a look of eager anticipation, Aang shot his skinny arm out in front and took a step forward, tripping slightly on a clump of grass. With a huge roar, the fire exploded outward, searing the air and forcing Aria to protect herself, diverting the fire to her side. When the flames cleared and Aria spotted Aang she roared with laughter; his face, missing most of his eyebrows and covered with black smudges, had a look of utter bewilderment.

"Are you ok?" Aria asked in gasping breaths, holding her ribs; he looked hilarious.

"What happened?" Sokka demanded, running up with Katara close behind.

"Aang, are you ok?" Katara fretted, pulling water out of her pouch and wiping the smudges off Aang's face. "What were you doing? You could have gotten hurt, why wasn't Aria helping you?"

"Well don't baby him." Aria scoffed irritably, "He's fine."

"We can't afford for him to get hurt Aria!" Katara argued.

"And he's not." Aria observed dryly, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Fire is dangerous." Katara continued stubbornly.

"Oh just stop Katara!" Aria complained, "He's fine. Frankly, yes, you play with fire and you can get burned. I've gotten minor burns before; it just teaches me not to make the same stupid mistake. He's got to learn unless somewhere along the way it turned out the Avatar doesn't need to know firebending."

"Well your methods are ridiculous." Katara answered snottily.

"You worry about waterbending, I'll worry about firebending." Aria answered.

"Where's your eyebrows?" Sokka asked, snorting in laughter.

Aang reddened and kicked at a patch of burned grass but didn't say anything.

"I think that's enough." Aria told Aang, "We're not going to get anywhere if you're embarrassed and they're making idiotic comments. If you want we can try again tomorrow. In the meantime, try and figure out how to make the fire on your own. I don't know what to tell you there."

"Well let's get going. We've been hanging around longer than we should have." Sokka said, still smiling.

Still acting huffy, Katara led the procession into the woods while Appa lumbered in the rear, pausing every few feet to rip up clumps of bushes with his massive teeth. The trees soon closed in on them and the view of the flowery meadow became completely obscured though the clashing of the waves still permeated the air. Several feet ahead, Aang stooped down to examine something.

"Hey look! A sword made out of a whale's tooth!" He shouted back excitedly. Sokka took off immediately and ripped the sword out of Aang's hand, running his hand down the length of the blade.

"This is a water tribe weapon!" Sokka exclaimed, "See if you can find anything else."

"Did someone lose something?" Katara asked as she and Aria caught up with the two rummaging through bushes.

"No, we found something!" Aang responded eagerly. Sokka picked up an arrowhead and examined it minutely.

"It's burned. There was a battle; water tribe warriors ambushed a group of fire benders. The fire benders fought back but the water tribe warriors drove them down this hill." Sokka stated seriously, hurrying down the hill. Aria followed, looking dubiously around, trying to figure out what Sokka was seeing. They emerged out of the trees once more, onto a rocky forlorn beach.

"So then what happened?" Aang asked.

"I don't know…the trail ends here…" Sokka answered quietly.

"Wait, look!" Katara cried, pointing down the coast. A small boat made of what looked to be some sort of stretched hide rested on the rocky beach, its mast pointing crookedly into the sky.

"It's one of our boats!" Sokka almost screamed, running down the beach.

"Hmmm." Aria said in surprise before following, "He was right."

"Is this dad's boat?" Katara asked hopefully.

"No, but it's from his fleet." Sokka answered eagerly, running his hands along the side of the boat. "Dad was here."

They made camp beside the boat that night. One by one they all made it to their bedrolls and fell asleep; everyone but Sokka. Aria lay in her bedroll, watching Sokka curiously; he was staring into the fire, a brooding expression on his face; obviously something about the ship had brought up memories.

"Is everything okay?" Aria asked quietly.

"Yeah…just thinking about my dad." Sokka answered after a moment.

"Oh…" Aria answered, not sure what to say. "You miss him?"

"Of course I miss him." Sokka said, "Who wouldn't miss their dad?"

Aria decided against answering that question, not entirely understanding why anyone would miss their father. It didn't escape her attention that when referring to their father, Katara and Sokka called him dad; apparently they had a relationship she didn't. The thought vaguely bothered her. Aria sat up quickly and Sokka jumped to his feet, pulling out his boomerang when somebody's footsteps approached their camp.

"Who's there?" Sokka demanded.

Stepping out of the shadows and into the light of their fire, the man raised his hands in compliance. He was tall and grim, looking as if his face had forgotten how to smile. A shadow of a beard covered his jaw and his dark hair was pulled back from his face with a strip of hide. His clothing was clearly water tribe though strips of bandages covered the right side of his chest and arm.

"Sokka?" The man asked in a deep voice. Aria's eyes widened and she extricated herself from her bedroll, wanting to be ready for whatever happened.

"Bato?" Sokka replied in disbelief, his high pitch waking Katara and Aang.

"Who the what now?" Aang asked sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"Bato!" Katara squealed, becoming fully awake immediately.

"Sokka! Katara!" The man named Bato exclaimed, opening his arms wide. The siblings all but flew to him, wrapping him in a bear hug. Aria and Aang exchanged confused glances but remained silent. "It's so good to see you two. You've grown so much!"

"Where's dad?" Sokka asked excitedly.

"Is he here?" Katara cried.

"No, he and the other warriors should be in the eastern Earth Kingdom by now." Bato answered. Sokka and Katara hung their heads in disappointment. An ice cold breeze, remnant of the winter just passed, swept in from the ocean. Aria hunched her shoulders and stuffed her hands deep in her pocket. "This is no place for a reunion, let's get inside."

Without a backward glance, the water tribe group walked down the beach, chatting animatedly. Once again catching Aang's eye, Aria shrugged and followed after them, feeling like an intruder. The walk was fairly short and soon they reached a small complex of buildings surrounded by a decent sized wall. As they walked through the archway, Aria caught snippets of Bato's words.

"After I was wounded, your father carried me to this Abbey. The sisters have cared for me ever since."

Inside the walls was a stone paved courtyard surrounded by whitewashed buildings with great mason jars lining the walls, sealed tightly with a waxy substance. Dotted here and there around the courtyard were many woman of all ages, all dressed from head to toe in white and extremely light tan.

"Superior, these are Hakota's children." Bato said, addressing a rather old, dignified looking woman. "They've been traveling with the Avatar; I found them by my boat."

"Young Avatar, it gives me great joy to be in your presence." The woman stated calmly, inclining her head to Aang. "Welcome to our Abbey."

"Thank you, it's truly an honor to be here." Aang answered, seeming relieved to finally be acknowledged. "If there's anything-"

"What smells so good, Bato?" Sokka asked, cutting across Aang while sniffing at the air. Aria glared at Sokka; why was it suddenly ok to be so rude?

"The sisters craft ointments and perfumes." Bato answered. "Come, we've got dinner waiting."

They crossed the courtyard to what Aria assumed would be a mess hall, her stomach grumbling angrily; she was ravenous. When the door slid open, Katara squealed in delight but Aria's hopes for a great meal plummeted. Whatever was cooking smelled extremely suspicious.

"Bato, it looks like home!"

The floors were carpeted with plush furs, surrounding a low burning fire in the center. The walls were adorned with many fierce looking weapons and odd trinkets; to Aria it looked as if some backwoods lowlife had taken residence here. The only source of light was the fire, leaving the outer corners shrouded in dark.

"Everything's here; even the pelts!" Sokka exclaimed, immediately dropping to his knees by the fire.

"Yeah, nothings cozier than dead animal skins." Aang stated dryly. Aria chuckled, apparently the only one in the room to appreciate Aang's humor.

"No way! Stewed sea prunes?" Katara asked in ecstasy, lifting the lid off the pot in the fire and identifying the mystery smell.

"Help yourself." Bato said graciously.

"Dad could eat a whole barrel of these things." Sokka reminisced happily. Aria and Aang advanced cautiously into the room and sat next to the fire, looking apprehensively at the mess in the pot; it smelled revolting. Aria choked down the mixture as quietly as she could while Bato told stories to Katara and Sokka about their father. Though Aang tried to take part in the conversation, it was clear his opinion wasn't wanted or appreciated and he soon lapsed into silence. Aria soon gave up on the sea prunes and set her bowl aside still half full; retreating from the fire, she pulled her pack towards her and dug out her father's letter and settled back against the wall to read it again. Her father had never given her reason to trust him but could she really to afford to ignore such an offer if it meant Zuko could go home and Aang would no longer be pursued. By Zuko at least. The thought of Zhao's smug face if she turned herself in was nearly as revolting as the sea prunes. When Aria next glanced up, Aang was gone; she hadn't even noticed him leave.

"It would be great but we can't." Sokka stated sadly. Aria frowned, unsure of what they were talking about.

"Even if we had time to wait for the message, who knows how far we'd have to travel." Katara added. "We don't have time for a long detour."

"I'm sure your father would understand." Bato answered, "And be proud that his children are helping the Avatar."

Aria carefully folded up the letter and shoved it into her pocket before leaning her head against the wall; it was almost to the point where it could be considered morning instead of night and she still hadn't slept. Her eyes had just closed when the door slid open and Aang sidled in.

"Hi everyone! Sorry I was gone so long." He said in a hearty voice, unlike his usual tone.

"Oh, hi Aang. I didn't even notice you were gone." Katara answered.

"Yep but now I'm back!" Aang answered, throwing himself onto the ground by the fire. "Sure could go for some delicious sea prunes!" With almost indecent zeal, Aang shoveled the sea prune goop into his mouth, almost making himself sick. Aria eyeballed him suspiciously; he was acting like a crazy person. Before long Aria resumed her position and fell asleep, Sokka and Katara still pelting Bato with questions.

Aria shook her head in disbelief, rubbing the crick in her neck from sleeping against the wall. Aang and the others were gathered around Bato, listening to his instructions. Apparently when water tribe boys turned fourteen they performed a rite of passage known as ice dodging. Sokka's father had left for the war before he had turned fourteen so Bato had offered to take him now. It sounded like a whole lot of nonsense.

"Ice dodging is a ceremonial test of wisdom, bravery, and trust. In our village it was done by weaving a boat through a field of icebergs." Bato explained.

"How are we supposed to go ice dodging without any ice?" Sokka asked practically.

"You'll be dodging those." Bato said, pointing at the jagged rocks towering out of the sea. "Sokka, you'll be steering and calling the shots; lead wisely. Katara, you'll secure the main sail; the winds can be brutal so be brave. Aang, you'll control the jib; without your steady hand we'll all go down. Your position is about trust." Aang squirmed uncomfortably but nodded all the same.

"Aria, are you sure you're not going to participate?" Bato asked politely.

"Yes, thank you." Aria answered stepping back. There was no way she was stepping foot on a boat made of hides and bone and wood to dodge solid rock. There were some things the Fire Nation did get right and one of those was making their ships from metal. Soon the others were out of sight on the boat and once again Aria began practicing her lightening bending; it was getting easier all the time. It wasn't taking her near the effort it used to though she would still be way out of her depth if it came to fighting with it. She practiced for the better part of an hour before starting to get tired.

Wondering how long one had to 'dodge ice' to pass, Aria released the lightening and stood on tip toe to catch a glimpse of the Water Tribe ship. As if summoned by her thoughts, the boat glided smoothly back to the beach, seemingly free of damage; Sokka must have passed. She quickly put a smile in place and strode forward to congratulate them as they disembarked.

"The spirits of water bear witness to these marks. For Sokka, the mark of the wise; the same mark your father earned." Bato announced ceremoniously, making a foreign looking mark on Sokka's forward with an oily black liquid. "For Katara, the mark of the brave; for courage inspires us. And for Aang, the mark of the trusted; you are now an honorary member of the Water Tribe."

"I can't." Aang answered, rubbing the mark off with his sleeve.

"Of course you can!" Katara answered brightly, seemingly unaware of Aang's discomfort.

"No, you can't trust me." Aang said, backing up.

"Aang, what are you talking about?" Katara asked, confused.

"A messenger gave this to me for Bato." Aang answered, pulling a crumpled piece of parchment out from his shirt and handing it to Katara. Sokka and Katara looked over it quickly, their faces quickly changing from confused to angry. Aang stared at the ground refusing to look anyone in the eye. "You have to understand, I was afraid-"

"This is the map to our father! You had it the whole time?" Sokka shouted, "How could you? Well you can go to the North Pole on your own, I'm going to find dad."

"Now Sokka, I think you should-" Bato began.

"Katara, are you with me?" Sokka interrupted angrily.

"I'm with you Sokka." Katara answered, staring at Aang. Aang hung his head, crushed at the verdict. Aria watched the entire confrontation in shock; what the heck just happened? She couldn't believe they were splitting up. Soon she was left standing on the beach alone with Aang, feeling awkward. There was nothing that could be said that would make the situation better; Aang had done wrong and that was the end of it. Without a word they made their way back to the Abbey. By the time they got there Bato, Sokka, and Katara were all packed and Aang made a beeline for Appa. Aria followed more slowly, not knowing if she should say goodbye to the others or not; this entire day and a half had been one big awkward affair for her. Deciding against it, she clambered into Appa's saddle and sat, waiting for Aang to decide to leave. Within minutes Katara and Sokka were gone and the Superior approached Aang.

"Guess I should be moving on." Aang said before she could speak.

"That would be best." She answered solemnly. Resigned, Aang picked up the reigns and directed Appa out the archway. He kept Appa at a sedate walk all the way back to where the boat was left and pulled up on the beach; he fidgeted with the reins as if hoping if he stalled long enough they would come back. Aria didn't question him; Aang was in a bad sort.

"Well…are you ready to go?" Aang asked dejectedly.

"Whenever you are." Aria answered simply.

"Avatar!" One of the sisters was running full tilt at them, waving her arms, "You must leave!"

"Ok, I get it, everyone wants me gone!" Aang answered angrily. Aria glared at the woman; if she came running down here just to shoo Aang away, she was going to have a problem.

"A group of people came to the Abbey looking for you." The woman stated breathlessly.

"Who?" Aang asked curiously.

"A fierce looking woman with a horrible monster and a young man with a scar! The beast was using the scent of a necklace to follow you." The woman answered.

"Zuko." Aria stated, wondering about the woman he was apparently traveling with.

"A necklace…" Aang said, scowling in confusion. His eyes widened and he jumped, "Katara! Yip Yip!" Appa launched into the air and flew toward the Abbey as quickly as he was able. If the beast was following the scent of Katara's necklace her and Sokka were in trouble. As soon as they touched down at the archway, Aang snapped his glider out.

"Aria, stay here with Appa in case Katara and Sokka come back, I'm going to fly ahead and see if I can find them." Without waiting for her consent, Aang took off and was soon out of sight. Aria made her way into the Abbey with Appa and leaned against the wall, gnawing at her bottom lip; her stomach was in knots. She was ashamed to admit that worry over the woman he was traveling with was occupying her mind just as much as Katara and Sokka's danger. Without warning the wooden doors of the arch way exploded open, spewing splinters and debris over the courtyard. Aria ducked and looked on in amazement as a dog like creature with the nose of a mole, almost the size of Appa, burst through the hole it had made. On its back rode Zuko and Iroh with a woman Aria didn't know. Her face was wild looking and framed by long black hair. With a gasp, Aria saw Katara and Sokka strapped to the saddle, unmoving. The beast circled the courtyard, sniffing loudly and Aria began maneuvering to get behind it, unsure of her motives but knowing she wanted to stay out of sight and away from the sharp teeth that protruded from the upper jaw of it. Snarling in triumph at the appearance of its target, the beast stopped and reared up into the air; Aang had swooped in on his glider and buffeted it around the head with a blast of air. Losing its balance, the beast fell backward, dumping the people on its back and nearly landing on Aria. Diving out of the way, Aria quickly crawled over to where Sokka and Katara had landed.

"Are you guys okay?" She asked, turning them over.

"We're paralyzed." Katara answered.

"That thing has a long tongue that has some sort of poison in it." Sokka said tersely. Aria grabbed Sokka by the armpits and began dragging him out of the way as the beast struggled to regain its feet. Leaning him against the wall, Aria sprinted back for Katara who was in danger of being trampled as the beast jumped in the air, snapping at Aang. Zuko had also regained his feet and Aria made eye contact briefly; Zuko was looking between her and Aang, clearly warring with what he wanted to do. Forcing herself to look away and ignoring the pang she felt in her chest every time she saw him, Aria stooped and grabbed Katara; out of the corner of her eye she saw Zuko running toward Aang. She managed to drag Katara a few yards when a huge gust of fire sent her flying forward and crashing into the stone base of the wall. Her ears ringing, Aria looked around and saw only chaos; the sisters were running for cover in the surrounding buildings, Aang and Zuko were struggling to their feet on rooftops opposite of each other (they must have caused the explosion that had knocked Aria off her feet), and Appa and the woman's beast were hard at it, fighting with a ferocity Aria had never seen in Appa.

"I think we're starting to get some movement back." Sokka stated hopefully. Aria turned back to face them and found, with relief, that Sokka and Katara were beginning to wiggle their fingers and twitch their limbs.

"Here, smell this." One of the sisters had appeared from a nearby building and held a small perfume bottle under Sokka's nose. Sokka wrinkled his nose in disgust but was able to struggle to his feet. As soon as Katara got a whiff of the potent fumes, she also climbed to her feet, leaning heavily on the wall.

"That thing sees with its nose." Sokka observed, "Let's give it something to look at."

"The perfume?" The sister asked timidly, half crouching behind Sokka.

"You may secretly be a genius." Aria observed, smiling slightly when Sokka nodded grimly in response to the sister's question.

"Go get the rest of the sister's and tell them to get in position to start dumping the perfume." Sokka stated with authority, ignoring Aria. The sister hustled away, her arms over her head, to rally the rest.

The sound of the many mason jars cracking open was apparently lost on Zuko and the beast who had Aang pinned against a wall, dodging fire and the paralyzing tongue. Straining against the huge jar, Aria and the others managed to tilt them over onto their sides where Katara began bending; since perfume was mostly water it was an easy task. Creating a huge wave, Katara sent the perfume crashing over the heads of the beast and Zuko and making such a huge stink that even Aria's eyes began watering. The beast went mad; throwing the woman from its back and darting its tongue out in all directions, narrowly missing Aang but hitting Zuko. The next pass of its tongue hit the woman and she and Zuko alike both hit the ground hard and remained there. Smashing any remaining mason jars and running in circles, the beast let out an ear piercing shriek before scrabbling up the side of the wall and disappearing.

While Aang and the other two talked to the sisters, apologizing for ruining their stock, Aria ran to where Zuko and Iroh were still laying, paralyzed. Skidding to a stop, she bowed respectfully to Iroh before bending low over Zuko. Ascertaining he wasn't seriously injured, she talked fast.

"I don't know when I'm going to see you next so before anything happens that may make you question things, I wanted to say I love you. No matter what. Some things may be starting that will make you doubt that but please just remember it."

"What are you talking about?" Zuko asked, his eyes widening in concern.

"You'll be able to go home. Really soon." Aria answered quietly, "Without the Avatar."

"Why? Aria, what are you doing?" Zuko demanded.

"Do you still love me?" Aria asked, her voice so full of sadness that Zuko's face instantly softened.

"Yes, of course I do. I want nothing more than to go home with you." Zuko answered softly.

Aria kissed him quickly before answering. "It won't be with me."

Straightening up, she bowed again to Iroh who was watching her, his brow furrowed in suspicion, but she avoided his eyes.

"I hope you know what you are doing Aria." He stated gravely.

"Me too." She answered simply before walking briskly back to the others. In one fluid motion she jumped up, grabbing a handful of Appa's fur, and swung herself into the saddle. Within minutes Sokka and Katara joined her in the saddle and with a groan, Appa heaved himself into the air. Aria watched as the abbey became nothing more than a spec on the horizon before turning around to face the others.

"So where are we going?" Aang asked cautiously, as if afraid of the answer.

"We're getting you to the north pole." Katara answered firmly over the wind of Appa's flight.

"Yeah, we've lost too much time as it is." Sokka affirmed.

"Don't you want to see your father?" Aang said, his voice hopeful.

"Of course we do Aang but you're our family too, and right now you need us more." Sokka answered.

"And we need you." Katara added.

"I wish I could give you a little piece of home Katara, something to remind you-" Aang began after a brief silence.

"I'll be ok." Katara interrupted, looking down at her hands.

"Still just a little trinket…maybe something like this." Aang said slyly, holding up the necklace Katara had lost.

"Aang how'd you get that?" Katara squealed, snatching it out of his hand.

"Zuko asked me to be sure I got it to you." Aang answered, laughing.

"Oh that's so sweet of Zuko, will you give him a kiss for me when you see him?" Katara teased.

"Sure will…" Aang said jokingly with a sideways glance at Aria, "But I wouldn't want anyone getting jealous…"

"If you want to kiss Zuko, be my guest." Aria answered, smiling faintly, "I could use some more entertainment."


	22. Chapter 22

"This should give us a good idea of what's around here." Katara said, peering at a large bulletin board. They had been walking down a wide lane surrounded by a well-lighted, springy forest having landed to give Appa a break. It was early evening and the sun was barely peeking over the line of trees; birds were twittering insanely as if trying to fit as many in as they could before going to ground for the night. After a couple of miles the lane reached an intersection, another dirt road shooting off at a perpendicular angle; both roads were well tended, the weeds kept at bay and the dirt raked even. Sitting in the middle of the intersection was a large four sided bulletin board that Katara was currently examining.

"See if you can find a menu." Sokka told her, "I'm starving."

"Is there ever a time you're not starving?" Aria asked politely.

"I bet we'll find something to eat here." Aang said excitedly, "A Fire Nation festival!"

"What?" Aria asked eagerly, her attention caught.

"Fire Nation cultural exhibits, jugglers, benders, magicians." Aang read off a large, colorful poster.

"We have to go!" Aria cried eagerly. "That would be so much fun!"

"You might want to rethink that." Sokka said from the other side of the bulletin board.

"Sokka, shut up." Aria hissed; Fire Nation festivals were so much fun! They had been the highlight of the summer in the Capital and she had spent countless hours with her friends attending them.

"Look at this!" Sokka insisted. The other three shuffled around to the other side to get a look at what Sokka had spotted. Plastered across a third of the board was a wanted poster of Aang, the drawing a good likeness. While the others all fell silent, exchanging looks of concern with each other, Aria laughed.

"This isn't going to be a problem." She assured them, "Trust me."

"It's a wanted poster; this is bad." Sokka said, crossing his arms.

"I think we better keep moving." Katara said cautiously.

"Come on, when's the last time we've had fun?" Aria asked. When the siblings continued to look doubtful, she added on slyly, "You know there's going to be Fire Bending masters there. I think watching other Fire Benders will really help Aang. I've been trying to teach him for almost a week and the biggest success we've had is not burning off his eyebrows again."

"I guess we could go check it out." Katara said slowly while Aang ran a hand over his newly grown eyebrows.

"What?" Sokka demanded while Aang and Aria did a little jig in the background. "You want to walk into a Fire Nation town while they're all fired up with all their fire?"

"We'll wear disguises and if it looks like trouble we'll leave." Katara said in a logical voice.

"Yeah, we always leave before we get into trouble." Sokka answered dryly.

"It's genius," Aria assured him, "Who in their right mind would march into the middle of a Fire Nation festival when they have wanted posters pasted everywhere? They'll never expect him and won't even be looking for him."

Before following the others who were preparing their disguises, Aria inspected the other wanted posters on the bulletin. One was for the infamous Jeong Jeong; Aria knew him as being the only man to successfully desert the Fire Nation military. It was the second that caught her attention; identified simply as the Blue Spirit, he was wanted for crimes unspecified against the Fire Nation. Wanted pretty badly if the amount of the reward was anything to go by.

"Where's your disguise?" Sokka demanded. They were standing on a small hill overlooking the town, finishing the last touches of their disguises before heading in. Aria surveyed their disguises critically, smiling faintly. Sokka and Katara had donned short black cloaks and had pulled the hoods up, hiding their faces. Aang had simply pulled his shirt up over his head.

"Well if that's your idea of a disguise I'm probably better off without one. But if you must know, this is all I need." Aria answered, tugging at Zhao's cloak she had equipped. It was somewhat too big as Zhao was a hulk of a man but she made due.

"How is that disguising you at all?" Sokka asked.

"Really I shouldn't need to disguise myself at all." Aria answered, "My entire outfit is Fire Nation. Unfortunately it looks quite worse for wear. Katara's had to patch my shirt, my pants are threadbare; frankly, I look like a peasant. Zhao spares no expense; this cloak is awesome. And it hides all the bad spots of my clothes."

"Whatever." Sokka grumbled. Without further ado, they headed down the hill, treading carefully in the failing sunlight. They passed through the gate of the village without incident and stopped to survey the crowd.

"This is why I said it wouldn't be a problem." Aria announced, gesturing at the milling people. "We just need to get some for ourselves."

Masks of all kind covered the faces of the crowd; some leering, some grinning, all skillfully painted. Some in the crowd were so entirely ambiguous it was unknown whether man or woman was behind the mask. Aria laughed out loud at the looks on the others faces and turned her attention to the festival, unable to decide where she wanted to run first. The smell of the vendor's food caused people to sniff appreciatively at the air, their mouths salivating and stomachs grumbling. Paper lanterns were strung high over the crowd's head, creating a warm glow in the evening dusk. Children ran laughing and screaming, weaving through the legs of the adults; for the night they were free to roam. Separated from the crowd by a small wooden stage was a small band playing traditional Fire Nation festival music while down below people danced without a care. Performers worked their way through the crowd; jugglers, dancers, clowns playing innocent pranks, animal handlers with great lizards draped across their shoulders. The air positively thrummed with excitement.

Spotting the Fire Nation outpost building Aria froze, her happy bubble at being among so much Fire Nation culture deflating slightly. She observed it for several seconds, biting her lower lip. Two men stood outside the door, watching the crowd lazily and without interest. The building itself was roughly built; the wooden logs making up the wall unfinished and rough. In a split second decision she strode forward, waving Aang off.

"I'll be back, you should check out the band!" She called over her shoulder, waving in the general direction of the music.

Talking her way past the watch without much difficulty, Aria strode haughtily into the outpost, her attitude like that of a visiting General.

"I need to be directed to communications." Aria announced feigning a bored voice.

The small group of soldiers that had been chatting animatedly turned to face her, looking mildly surprised. The man in the very back pulled off his helmet and pushed his way to the front; he was a big brute with a slightly stupid air coming off of him, perhaps only barely out of his teens.

"Are you lost?" He asked, chortling, "This is the Fire Nation outpost. I can direct you to the baked goods stand of the festival if you'd like. I'm sure they could use the help."

"You can take me to communications and keep your idiotic comments to yourself on the way." Aria retorted with a sneer worthy of her father.

"And just who do you think you are?" He asked rudely, "I could arrest you right now you know."

"That'd be the worst decision of your pathetic life." Aria answered coldly. "Do you know of General Jirou? You should; he's on the top of the list of the, I'm sure dozens, of people you have to answer to and I'm his daughter. So do it, I dare you, and we'll see how long it takes for you to end up on the streets begging for a scrap of bread. Now take me to communications or take me to your commanding officer so we can discuss this further."

Aria's eyes never wavered from his as she waited for him to work through what she had said. His face had lost all its color and his mouth was gaping like a fish out of water.

"Close your mouth. I'm waiting." Aria said nastily, her lip curling.

With a clumsy bow the man turned on his heel and walked down the nearest corridor, leaving the others to gawk, speechless, after them. Aria followed silently, fuming at the man's stupidity. She was about to put herself into the most horrible situation she could imagine; she wasn't about to put up with the likes of him. The walk was short and soon he held open a door before standing back to wait outside for her.

The room smelled strongly of bird droppings as the walls were lined with perches supporting great messenger hawks, shuffling their wings and peering at the newcomer. In the middle of the room sat a large desk littered with parchment, quills, and sealing wax behind which sat a short portly man who was apparently extremely nearsighted judging by how close his nose was to the parchment he was pursuing. Aria sat down and pulled parchment and a quill towards her and introduced herself as she started writing, ignoring the look of surprise and mild bewilderment.

"The first needs to be sent to General Jirou at the Capital, the second to Admiral Zhao wherever his fleet is; I don't know. Do it and I'll see you handsomely rewarded." Aria said brusquely, rolling up and sealing two scrolls before handing them over. The man eyeballed the scrolls curiously and Aria added severely, "Treat them as urgent and highly confidential."

"Of course, of course. I'll send them personally with our best hawks." The man answered quickly, he had no desire for Jirou's wrath to come down on his head, "May I offer you a cup of tea?"

"No. Thank you." Aria answered before standing and heading to the door.

The man behind the desk assured her the letters would reach their destination within days and Aria strode out of the door and found her own way back to the entrance; leaving the idiot to try and catch up. Taking a deep breath and rolling her shoulders, Aria stepped off the threshold of the outpost, the crowd almost immediately engulfing her; now it was time to have fun.

After finding the others, Aria dug through her pocket, pulling out every last coin she had in her possession and moved down the line of stalls, sampling everything. First she bought masks for each of them; for herself choosing an inscrutable red and gold mask. Avoiding a mad clown trying to get her to ride a unicycle, Aria attacked the food vendors; not a single one escaped her attention and she laughed insanely when Sokka couldn't handle the heat of Fire Flakes. She had not realized how much she had missed Fire Nation food until now; her mouth was in bliss as she shoveled in the rich spices signature to Fire Nation dishes. She was halfway done with a skewer of cowhippo slathered in a spicy red sauce when Katara grabbed her arm excitedly.

"Ooo! Look!" She squealed, pointing at the stage. The musicians had evacuated their position and in their place was a man snapping a chain of fire over his head like a whip.

"Nice, a fire magician!" Aria said, hurrying forward to join the crowd gathered around the stage.

"Is this a regular show in the Fire Nation?" Katara asked curiously.

"Oh yeah." Aria stated, engrossed in the performance, "They traveled to the Capital to put on shows all the time. You could pick up a lot of cool tricks from them. I figured out how to form a dragon's head from fire. Took me forever; I watched the guy every day for the week he was performing and then still had to practice for like a month. Hopefully this guy will do it; it's amazing."

Leading the others, Aria shouldered her way to the front to watch while the man announced the names of his tricks. The crowd oohed and aahed, Katara and Aang along with them, as he manipulated the fire as if it were nothing more dangerous than smoke. Eyes wide, Aang watched avidly, trying to pick up on how the man was able to control the flames. The man clasped his hands together and the flame vanished with a snap.

"Thank you!" The man yelled out at the applause, "For my next trick I need a volunteer from the audience!"

"Over here!" Grinning mischievously, Aria shoved Katara forward toward the stage.

"Aria-" Katara complained, trying to retreat.

"How about you?" The man asked, grabbing Katara's hand and lifting her onto the stage. Aria chuckled, ignoring Sokka who had pulled his mask up to glower at her.

"This next trick is called, Taming the Dragon!" The man announced to the crowd as he drew up a chair for Katara to sit in.

"Yes! This is what I was telling you guys about!" Aria squealed.

"You will be my captured princess." He said loudly to Katara, wrapping a silk sash around her to bind her to the chair. He moved away and began bending, conjuring a great flame dragon that circled around the stage.

"Don't worry young maiden! I will tame this fiery beast!" He yelled, brandishing a fiery whip at the dragon. As the dragon made another swoop around the stage, the man lassoed it with his whip, and tried to reel it in.

"It's too strong, I can't hold it!" The man, pretended fear overtaking his face.

"We've got to help her!" Aang cried, lunging forward.

"Aang, no! It's just a trick!" Aria tried to assure him as Sokka grabbed him to keep him from jumping on the stage.

"The rope, its breaking!" The magician yelled, panic in his voice. He released the rope, freeing the flame dragon which flew for Katara. Aria knew she was in no danger, the man was controlling the flames but apparently Aang did not. Using his bending to fuel his jump, Aang sprang onto the stage and dispersed the flame dragon with a whirlwind of air. Aria and Sokka stood stock still, unsure of what to do; Aang's mask had slipped off when he jumped and he was now standing on the stage looking out at the crowd. A great roar rose up from the crowd; people jeering and booing at the ruined trick. To the side the magician crossed his arms, looking infuriated. Aria thought they would be fine, be able to smooth the ruffled feathers, until a lone voice rose up over the rest.

"Hey, that kid's the avatar!"

Immediately Sokka and Aria gained the stage; Sokka untying Katara as quickly as possible while Aria pulled Aang behind her, trying to hide him from view. Heads were turning in their direction, drawn by the man's shouting. Many people were pulling up their masks, revealing astonished faces while Fire Nation soldiers pushed their way through them, grasping spears and swords, their faces set in determination.

"You are an idiot." Aria growled to Aang, pushing Aang further from the edge of the stage.

"I think it's time to go." Sokka shouted, ripping off his mask.

"Follow me; I can get you out of here!"

The group spun around, locating the source of the voice; a man, his face shrouded in a hood and cloth covering the bottom half, was gesturing frantically to them from behind the stage where the performers could go to relax. Hesitating for only a second, they ran after him as he turned tail and took off, looking back every now and then to make sure they were still following. They pushed through the crowd, knocking people over, not daring to slow down as the sound of footsteps and shouting from the guards was not far behind.

"I'm calling Appa!" Aang shouted, pulling out a small whistle and blowing as hard as he could.

"This way!" The mystery man shouted, turning a sharp corner. Aria groaned and slowed to a slow jog as soon as they turned the corner; the alleyway ended against a great wall and there was nowhere to go. Without turning around, she knew their escape was cut off; the pounding of footsteps and the jeering voices of the soldiers had rounded the corner and had slowed to a walk. The fugitives backed up as far as they could; each calculating how many of the guards they could, as individuals, handle. The numbers weren't in their favor.

"Appa, down here!" Aang screamed as loudly as he could. Seemingly like magic, Appa swooped down, scattering the Fire Nation troops, and stopped, waiting for the kids to scramble on. Aria glanced doubtfully at the anonymous man when he climbed up with them but said nothing; she'd feel like a jerk if she made the man who tried to save them stay behind, yet, it wouldn't do to trust someone so shrouded in mystery. As they took off into the air, Aria watched behind to ascertain no fireballs were headed their way when she noticed what had been stored behind the wall that had cut off their escape. Hundreds of fireworks were piled up, waiting for the moment when someone judged it was dark enough to set them off. Well that moment is now, Aria thought with a mischievous grin. Putting her hands together and aiming carefully, she sent off a huge fireball.

"You might want to move a little faster." Aria called over her shoulder, watching the blue flame shiver and spit as it traveled the distance to the fireworks.

"Why?" Sokka asked. A split second later the flame connected and chaos broke loose. BAM BAM BAM, a quick succession of loud booms resounded as rockets shot into the air, trailing tails of sparkles and flame. Appa roared and flew faster though they were now well out of range. Aria laughed and clapped her hands as several of the rockets began exploding, creating fantastic sunbursts of light and color.

"Why'd you do that?" Sokka demanded, trying to regain the seat he had lost when Appa panicked.

"I couldn't resist. I couldn't let you guys experience a Fire Nation festival without fireworks!" Aria answered, full of mirth, "I'd have felt cheated! It's like a South Pole without ice, an Aang without tattoos, a Katara without hair loopies, a Sokka witho-"

"Okay, okay, I get it." Sokka interrupted grumpily.

"Then sit back, relax, and watch the show." Aria answered, "It should be visible for quite a while. You're welcome."

"They are pretty aren't they?" Katara asked, the fireworks reflecting in her wide eyes.

"Yeah," Aria answered, glancing behind her to see if Aang was watching. "Oh."

Turning around, she had spotted the stranger sitting calmly talking with Aang, apparently directing him where to land; he had honestly slipped her mind. The man had pulled back his hood and face covering and, realizing she still had her mask on, Aria pulled it off and stuffed it into her pack. The man was dark skinned, looking like he spent a lot of time outdoors. His hair was dark brown and messy, hanging over a large forehead with deep set eyes. Appa angled down to a small forest clearing, directed by Aang, and soon they were sitting around a fire, watching the man intently.

"You're a Fire Nation soldier." Aria stated; it was not a question. "I saw your wanted poster on a bulletin board."

"I was. My name's Chey." He answered. "I serve a man. More than a man really; he's a myth, but he's real!"

Aria's eyebrows rose skeptically; he sounded crazy.

"A living legend; Jeong Jeong the Deserter. He was a Fire Nation General, or wait…was he an Admiral?" Chey told them.

"He was a General." Aria answered.

"How do you know that?" Aang asked curiously.

"My father knew him. He was one of the great Generals who would attend War Councils. The few weeks after he disappeared were insane; my father was furious as were the others. The Firelord most of all." Aria answered slowly, remembering back, "I was too young to really understand what was going on at the time, still sucked."

"Yeah! But he couldn't take the madness anymore! He's the first person to ever leave the army and live. I'm the second but you don't get famous for that. Jeong Jeong is a fire bending genius, some think he's mad but he's not; he's enlightened."

"We need to go see him!" Aang exclaimed, standing up.

"We're not going to go looking for some crazy fire bender." Sokka argued.

"He's not crazy! He's a genius!" Chey yelled, standing up. This man was entirely too obsessed with Jeong Jeong. "And he's the perfect person to train the Avatar…that's why I followed you into the festival."

"Look, thanks for the help, but we're leaving for the North Pole in the morning." Sokka said forcefully, also standing up.

"Sokka, this could be my only chance to meet a Fire Bending Master who's actually willing to teach me." Aang argued pathetically.

"It can't hurt just to talk to him." Katara agreed.

"I've heard he's an amazing bender." Aria said, "I'd like the chance to see what he knows."

Out of nowhere, men holding spears dropped from the branches overhead, completely surrounding them. Aria dropped the leaf she had been pulling apart and moved to stand up but stopped when a spear was thrust under her jawbone. She scowled and raised her hands up in the air; this was the third time people had come out of the trees to surprise them, ridiculous. While the men addressed Chey, Aria had a chance to take them in, observing in silence. They were dressed in colors of the forest; dark greens, browns, grays, and dark yellows.

"Follow us." One of the men spit out tersely. The spear was removed from her neck and Aria stood slowly, not wanting to look threatening. Calling Appa and Momo to follow them, Aang followed after Chey with Katara, Sokka, and Aria behind; the men still surrounded them, some leading, some bringing up the rear. It was incredibly dark under the trees and several times they had to pick themselves back up after tripping over unseen obstacles.

"Jeong Jeong told you not to look for the Avatar." The man growled angrily back at Chey.

"Hold on, you know these guys?" Sokka asked, trying to rip his cloak out of a thorn bush.

"Jeong Jeong's followers. Lin Yee's an old buddy, right Lin Yee?" Chey answered.

"Shut up. Keep moving." The man named Lin Yee answered, prodding Chey with a spear.

"Well that's not comforting." Aria muttered, helping Katara up from the ground; she had just tripped over an incredibly snarly root. Within a few minutes the trees began thinning out and they emerged out onto a sloping riverbank dotted by several small, wooden huts. They descended the small downhill grade and walked among the huts, stopping in front of the largest, sitting directly next to the river.

"Go on; he sees only you." Lin Yee commanded, shoving Chey forward.

"Oh that's okay, we can chat later." Chey answered, backing up again.

"Is that where Jeong Jeong is?" Aang asked eagerly, pointing at the large hut. "I need to talk to him right away."

"No, you wait here." Lin Yee answered before turning back to Chey. "Go now."

When Chey disappeared into the hut, Lin Yee directed the kids back up the hill and to another hut. There was no door, only a heavy cloth curtain and when Aria ducked inside and let the curtain fall back it was pitch black. When her eyes finally adjusted she settled down on the dirt floor, there being no furnishings. They talked late into the night; Aang and Aria excited to meet the Fire Bending Master, Katara seemingly interested and Sokka skeptical. It was the early hours of the morning when they finally drifted off, uncomfortable on the hard dirt floor.

Several fires were still burning on the rooftops of the buildings, souvenir from the fireworks being set off entirely too close to the wood and straw roofs, when he arrived. His boots, and those of his troops, crunched over the trash of festival goers. Stragglers from the Festival scurried out of their way, eager to reach their homes. The town was in complete chaos as Fire Nation soldiers scrambled to put out fires and restore order.

"So the Avatar was here and you let him slip away." Zhao stated coldly when the Commander came hustling out of the Fire Nation Post to greet him.

"Yes sir." The man answered cautiously, his eyes wide.

"Which way did they go?" Zhao demanded, anger lacing every syllable.

"They headed into the forest; up the river I suspect." The man said.

"Ready the river boats; we're going after the Avatar." Zhao commanded his troops. He turned to leave when another man came bolting out of the Command Post.

"Sir! Admiral Zhao!" The little man puffed, waving a scroll in the air as he ran.

Zhao turned, radiating impatience and contempt. He folded his arms and clenched his jaw when the man needed a minute to catch his breath.

"Sir, I've got…a letter…" He puffed, holding out the sealed scroll, "Didn't get a chance…to send it yet…the festival...was chaos."

Zhao snatched it out of his hand and broke the seal, reading it quickly. The only sign of shock he allowed to show on his face was a slight widening of his eyes and his eyebrows moving up toward his hairline; so Aria was actually going to listen for once in her fool life. Zhao and Jirou had been corresponding on the topic but Zhao, and Jirou for that matter, had never thought she would agree. It had been set up simply to get a general location on her and the Avatar; word had reached them the Avatar was in a small Earth Kingdom village and Jirou had acted immediately, sending out a hawk to both Aria and Zhao. If they could get her corresponding, and they knew she would eventually as her mouth was too big for her own good, they could use the trail of letters to predict their destination and be waiting for them.

"Some girl claiming to be General Jirou's daughter. I knew there was no way." The man stated pompously, having finally caught his breath fully. Apparently he had not noticed the storm cloud rolling across Zhao's face as he kept talking, "Still, I figured I'd better pass it on. There is one addressed to General Jirou as well."

"Let me see if I understand you. There was an alert issued to every Fire Nation Command in the Earth Kingdom stating she was abducted by the Avatar and any means necessary should be taken to get her back. The Avatar was here, at this festival, and you seem to think she was lying?" Zhao asked in a dangerously calm voice. "She was pleading for help in this letter and you let her get carried off by the Avatar again."

The man's face was ghastly to behold; he began making stammering sounds as if he couldn't breathe.

"Listen carefully; your last act as Postmaster will be to send that letter to General Jirou and add a personal note addressing why his daughter is still missing! After, you will report to your quarters where you remain under guard. When I return I'm going to deal with you further and every other incompetent fool who let the Avatar take off with my betrothed again! Go!" Zhao all but shouted. The man jumped as if stung and took off, Zhao's cold eyes following him.

"What happened?"

Aang's high, loud voice woke Aria instantly and she sat up, staring around wildly. His head hung in defeat, Chey had entered the hut and stood right inside the doorway. Sokka and Katara were also stirring, peering through the dark to look at him.

"Can I see Jeong Jeong now?" Aang continued, standing up eagerly as if about to charge off right then to find him.

"He won't see you. He's very angry I brought you here." Chey answered, sliding down the wall to sit with his arms wrapped around his knees. "He wants you to leave immediately."

"Finally, let's hit the road." Sokka said, suppressing a yawn.

"Why won't he see me?" Aang asked, sounding hurt.

"He says you're not ready. You haven't mastered waterbending or earthbending yet." Chey said quietly.

"Wait, how does he know that?" Aang asked.

"He saw the way you walked into camp. He can tell." Chey said mysteriously.

"Are you kidding me?" Aria asked incredulously.

"I'm going in anyway." Aang exclaimed determinedly and without another word being said darted out of the hut. Though uninvited, Aria stood and followed until they reached Jeong Jeong's hut where she sat down outside to wait; if Jeong Jeong proved to be agreeable, she wanted to learn from him as well. As she waited the sky faded to gray and the air took on that particular feeling signature of the dawn right before the sun makes its grand entrance. It seemed an eternity before Aang emerged from the hut, followed closely by the man Aria recognized from the wanted poster. Shaggy white hair framed a sculpted face with sharply slanted eyes and a severe mouth lined with a long goatee and thin mustache. Two lividly pink scars ran parallel to each other down the right side of his face, pulling the corner of his eye slightly down and puckering the skin. Aria sprang to her feet and bowed.

"General Jeong Jeong."

"I am no General." Jeong Jeong answered severely, surveying her impassively.

"I apologize. Please, I just want the chance to learn from you too; you're a legend." Aria pleaded.

Jeong Jeong seemed less than impressed by her plea but nodded anyway as if seriously unconcerned about anything she did. Without a word, he spun on his heel and walked off, gesturing for them to follow. Aria walked sedately after him, hiding her excitement, trying to prove she wasn't a waste of time.

"Horse stance." Jeong Jeong commanded, watching the two standing beside the river. Aria immediately spread her legs and settled down as low as she could, her thighs stretching almost painfully. Beside her Aang followed suit. Addressing Aang he said, "Widen your stance."

Aang scuffled his feet out further but apparently not enough:

"Wider!" Jeong Jeong ordered, "Now bend your knees more and concentrate."

"Good." Jeong Jeong stated when they complied before turning and walking away.

"Wait, what do I do now?" Aang called after him.

"Silence! Talking is not concentrating. Look at your friend, is she talking?" Jeong Jeong answered irritably.

"But what am I concentrating on?" Aang asked.

"Feel the heat of the sun, it is the greatest source of fire; it is in complete balance with nature." Jeong Jeong answered cryptically.

"So when do I get to make some fire?" Aang asked. Aria wished he would shut up.

"Concentrate!" Jeong Jeong demanded before continuing to walk off. Aria was irritated but said nothing; she had done this when she was a little girl, she was capable of so much more. Perhaps Jeong Jeong didn't know what she was capable of…maybe she should talk to him about it…It seemed like hours before Jeong Jeong came back; Aria's thigh muscles were burning and she was desperately bored. It was with incredible relief that she followed him and Aang up a huge hill ending in a cliff for the second lesson.

"Are we coming up here so I don't burn anything with my fireblasts?" Aang asked eagerly.

"No fire yet." Jeong Jeong answered tersely. He must only mean Aang, Aria thought hopefully; there was no way she wasn't going to be allowed to fire bend. "Power in firebending comes from the breath. That is why you must master proper breath control. Assume your stance. Now inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. Without talking. Good, keep going."

"What do you want me to do?" Aria asked when Jeong Jeong turned to leave.

"You heard me." Jeong Jeong answered without turning around.

"I'm better than that! I can do so much more! I learned to master my breathing years ago; I'm not that far off from being considered a master!" Aria burst out, irritated at his lack of compromise.

"You are lazy and have no discipline." Jeong Jeong said, spinning around, "There has been nobody to correct you nor anybody to challenge your full potential so you have grown complacent with mediocrity. It has been good enough for the people you've been fighting. Were you to fight a real firebending master right now, you would be destroyed. You take risks and cut corners that any experienced Fire Bender would see through and roast you alive. And above all you have gotten arrogant. I've never seen such sloppy form from someone who claims to be great. Perhaps you were as good as you think you are when still in the Capital drilling everyday but you have slipped. Without proper care, a sword will go to rust. It is the same with bending. If you do not hone it every chance you get, you will get beat. So go; if you think you are above this, leave. "

Aria's jaw jutted out and her face became quite mulish in its expression. She had never had a Firebending master say she was anything less than amazing and she was getting infuriated. When had he even seen her bend to make those critiques? And she had never claimed to be great…This was just ridiculous.

"You can take that stubborn expression off your face." Jeong Jeong continued when Aria said nothing, "Firebending is about discipline, if you cannot discipline yourself even to listen to your teacher how can you ever be great? I cannot teach you if you're not willing to learn. So decide; you are wasting my time."

After a pause of only a few seconds, Aria bowed and without a word resumed her stance with Aang, still fuming. What was that about? She wasn't arrogant at all…was she? And there was no way she'd get beat by any fire bending master; she could list off plenty of people she was sure of beating… When she next looked around Jeong Jeong was gone.

"This is dumb." Aria muttered to herself.

"What?" Aang asked curiously.

"Nothing, just breathe." Aria answered grumpily.

Again hours passed and still Jeong Jeong didn't make an appearance. Though still daylight, the sun was beginning to descend and Aang was getting fidgety. Aria's anger was dispersing though the things Jeong Jeong had said still stung; she'd stand up here breathing until her legs fell off if she had to to prove she was disciplined. His short attention span running out of patience, Aang jumped up out of the horse stance, looking determined.

"I'm going to go talk to him!" Aang announced.

"I wouldn't." Aria answered.

"Why not?" Aang demanded.

"You saw how well that went for me." Aria said.

"He's got to listen to me, I'm the Avatar!" Aang insisted, "Are you coming?"

"No!" Aria said simply.

"Why not?" Aang whined.

"Because I'm not getting in trouble again." Aria maintained stubbornly.

"Just listen; if we don't convince him to actually teach me to control fire you're going to have to do it and you hate trying to teach me." Aang said calmly.

"Because you don't listen; this is a great example!" Aria argued.

"Aria…" Aang whined.

"Ugh…fine." Aria answered, standing up straight, "I'm going to be so mad if we get yelled at."

They reached Jeong Jeong's hut within minutes but hovered outside for several seconds; neither willing to admit that they were nervous. Aang entered first with Aria close behind, irritated that she let Aang talk her into coming at all. The inside of the hut was lit by several tallow candles, the light they threw off wavering and dull.

"What are you doing here?" Jeong Jeong demanded angrily, "I did not tell you to stop!"

"We've been breathing for hours!" Aang cried out.

"You want to stop breathing?" Jeong Jeong asked sarcastically. Aria frowned, starting to realize Jeong Jeong was far more clever than any fire bending master she had yet trained under and really starting to regret being there.

"I want you to stop wasting my time!" Aang burst out. "I already know how to squat and breathe and feel the sun! I want to know how to shoot fire out of my fingertips!"

"I had a pupil once who had no interest in learning discipline. He was only concerned with the power of fire, how he could use it to destroy his opponents and wipe out obstacles in his path. But fire is a horrible burden to bear, its nature is to consume and without control, destroys everything around it. Learn restraint, or risk destroying yourself and everything you love." Jeong Jeong said solemnly without looking at either of them. Without a word Aang turned and left the hut but Aria took a step forward.

"Master, I'm-I'm sorry for disobeying you and arguing." Aria said humbly.

"You still have the hotheadedness that comes with youth but you must learn to control it." Jeong Jeong stated, "You have great potential, cultivate it and do not let it grow wild."

"Who was the pupil? The one who wouldn't learn discipline…" Aria asked cautiously, scared she was overstepping boundaries.

"He once had great potential, like you; keep that in mind. He has used his power to rise high in the Fire Nation navy. You'd do well to avoid him. Now go." Jeong Jeong answered cryptically. Aria wanted dearly to ask the name of the man but instead turned and strode out of the hut, joining Aang in sitting by the riverbank. Neither spoke, each absorbed in their own thoughts. The sky was turning a pretty orange with the setting of the sun and much of the heat of the day was disappearing before Jeong Jeong emerged once more.

"I thought about what you said." Aang said solemnly, "I promise I'll be more patient."

Jeong Jeong surveyed him impassively for several moments, his hands clasped behind his back, before answering him.

"We are going to work with fire now." Jeong Jeong stated. Without looking, he snatched a leaf out of the air, burning a hole straight through the middle of it. He handed the leaf to Aang and created another one, handing this one to Aria, "Concentrate on fire. I want you to keep the flame from reaching the edges of the leaf for as long as you can."

"Master!" One of the spear carrying men from the previous night skidded to a stop in front of Jeong Jeong, looking upset, "There is trouble!"

"What's going on?" Aang demanded.

"Concentrate on your leaves!" Jeong Jeong cried, running after the other man. Though incredibly curious, Aria turned her attention to the leaf, realizing the singe line had advanced further. Sokka and Katara seemed none too interested in the leaves, instead both were messing around in the river; Sokka fishing and Katara bending.

"This is the worst firebending instruction ever! All he does is leave me alone for hours to concentrate or breathe." Aang complained loudly.

"I'm sure there's a good reason." Katara called from where she was sitting.

"This actually is a really good exercise for learning to control fire; I think our problem was that I was trying to start you out way too fast and strong." Aria said thoughtfully.

"But I'm ready to do so much more!" Aang argued. Suddenly his face changed, taking on an inspired look and he widened his stance.

"Aang don't." Aria warned flatly. "You agreed to listen."

With a great intake of breath, the leaf in Aang's hands burst into flame and was consumed.

"I did it! I created fire!" Aang cried ecstatically, holding the remaining flame cupped in both his hands.

"Aang that's great but you should take it slow." Katara said nervously. When Aang glanced at Katara the flame expanded with a roaring sound, almost throwing Aang off balance.

"Aang, put it out now." Aria growled. The last time he had tried to control so much fire he would have burned Aria bad had she not diverted it in time.

"Now that's firebending!" Aang shouted, ignoring the two girls. With a flourish he shot a stream of fire up into the air; Aria could feel the heat of it slash across her face.

"Aang you'll hurt yourself!" Katara urged.

"Or someone else!" Aria added angrily.

"I wonder how that magician did the dragon trick…" Aang said thoughtfully.

"It took me months to figure that out and I had already been bending for years!" Aria exclaimed, "You're being a brat!"

Ignoring her, Aang began manipulating the fire, tossing it back and forth between his hands. Concentrating, he began the movement the fire magician had used to conjure the dragon's head. Aria dropped her leaf and backed up a few steps, knowing there was no way he'd be able to do it. When she was trying to figure it out she had burned down several old tapestries hanging in the practice hall and had gotten in big trouble. A great smile on his face, Aang spread his arms, releasing the fire; Aria raised her arms in front of her, forcing the flame to pass harmlessly to the side when she heard the cries of pain. Katara was hunched over, cradling her hands and crying loudly.

"Katara! I'm so sorry!" Aang shouted in panic, bounding over to her. Aria ran over, shoving Aang out of the way, and inspected Katara's hands; they looked bad, almost as bad as Aria's sides had been. A groan escaped from Aria's lips, she knew how painful it was and wondered if Katara's hands would even work properly ever again; the skin on Aria's sides didn't stretch like it should have anymore.

"Katara, what's wrong?" Sokka cried, sprinting over from where he had been fishing and glaring at Aang, "What did you do?"

"It-it was an-an accident! I-Katara I'm-" Aang stuttered.

"I told you we shouldn't mess around with this!" Sokka yelled, overriding Aang. "Look what you did! You burned my sister!"

Before anyone could stop her, Katara ran down the riverbank and disappeared into the woods, sobbing all the way. Aria stood, stunned, as Sokka yelled at Aang who was sitting in the grass, looking like he felt lower than dirt. It had happened so fast; she should have forced Aang to stop.

"Sokka, that's enough!" Aria intervened, "You need to go check on Katara."

"This is all your fault!" Sokka screamed, pointing past Aria. Aria whipped around to find Jeong Jeong surveying the scene with an indecipherable expression.

"I know, now pack your things. You must leave immediately." Jeong Jeong stated hurriedly. He gave Aang one long look full of disappointment before marching into the woods after Katara while Sokka and Aria began throwing their bags onto Appa. They had gathered the last of their things when Katara sprinted out of the woods.

"Katara! Are you okay?" Sokka asked concernedly.

"I'm fine, where's Aang?" She asked. Aria was amazed to see the burns were completely gone and was going to ask when Katara resumed talking, "We have to get out of here. Zhao and his men came up the river in boats; they've captured Jeong Jeong."

Sokka pointed at Jeong Jeong's hut where Aang had taken refuge and Katara took off; Aria's heart was pounding, she hadn't expected to run into him this quickly. Had he even gotten the letter? Panic threatened to overcome her but she took deep, calming breaths, trying to keep in the forefront of her mind her reasoning for doing it. Hardly more than a minute passed when Aang blew out of the hut, Katara following not far behind. All four of them sprinted into the woods, most of them intent on saving Jeong Jeong, one of them just concentrating on not being sick. The trees thinned out and Aria caught sight of boats pulled up on the shore and grabbed Katara and Sokka, pulling them to a stop; it would be better to figure out what was going on before charging out blind. Though she hissed at him to stop, Aang continued running at the small group of soldiers standing around what she assumed was Jeong Jeong. The lone figure standing outside the circle and in front of another group of men sent chills running down her spine; he was easy to recognize even from this distance.

"Jeong Jeong!" Aang shouted. Jeong Jeong looked over at Aang and gave a small smile before, with a quick movement, seemed to be consumed by a ball of fire, forcing the surrounding soldiers to backpedal quickly; when the fire ball dispersed, the place Jeong Jeong had been standing was now empty. Aria gasped; she had never seen that move before.

"It's a trick! He's run off into the woods, find him!" Zhao roared. His men pushed into the forest and it was too late that Aria realized they were in their direct line of sight. With a shout the soldiers ran at them, spreading out to surround them.

"Run!" Sokka shouted. Aria spared one more glance for Aang who was squaring off with Zhao, before taking off, passing Sokka. It was several moments before Aria realized she shouldn't be running and she slowed down, fully planning on turning back, when she heard a grunt of pain and crashing underbrush. She turned in time to see Sokka falling to his knees, his shirt on fire; he had been hit with a blast of fire on his upper back. A shout of triumph came from the band of soldiers following them, still fifty yards back. Not knowing what else to do, Aria set the forest on fire, creating a great, electric blue barrier between them to slow them down; sweat immediately beaded her forehead and the roar of the fire almost deafened them. After beating his shirt to put it out, Aria grabbed Sokka under his armpit and heaved, trying to get him to his feet; Katara joined in on the other side and they half carried him back to Jeong Jeong's camp, stumbling all the way, and laid him down next to Appa.

Not wasting any time, Katara uncorked her water pouch and drew out a long stream, wrapping her hand in it. The water shimmered eerily, distorting the edges of her hand, and began pulsing with a weird, white light. Aria's eyes flickered between Katara's face, screwed up in concentration, and her hand, descending onto Sokka's burnt back. A groan of pain hissed from between Sokka's clenched teeth but he remained still, staring widely at Katara. When the water made contact with his back, Sokka's face relaxed and he closed his eyes as if sleeping. Aria's jaw dropped and she relinquished her hold on Sokka's arm; flesh was knitting back together, new skin forming to smooth over the ruined muscle underneath. Exhaling, Katara rocked back on her heels, looking slightly drained. Unable to help herself, Aria reached down and touched the skin where the burn had been merely seconds ago; it was perfectly smooth and cool to the touch.

"What'd you just do?" Aria demanded.

"Jeong Jeong said waterbenders can sometimes heal. I guess I can." Katara answered, holding up her now burn free hands.

"That's extraordinary." Aria marveled, desperately wishing Katara could have figured that out before… "I wonder where Jeong Jeong went."

"None of that matters right now, we have to go get Aang." Sokka said shakily, pushing himself to his feet and rubbing his back.

"No we don't." Aria said, pointing; Aang had emerged at a dead run from the woods, looking okay other than some scorched clothing.

"Let's get out of here!" Aang shouted, not even slowing down before jumping onto Appa. "I just got Zhao to burn all the boats and he's mad. I bet they're looking for us now. Maybe when they see Appa flying away they'll leave Jeong Jeong's camp alone."

Sokka and Katara scrambled up into Appa's saddle, getting a small chuckle at Zhao's plight but Aria, remaining on the ground, simply shouldered her pack and surveyed them sadly.

"What are you doing? Let's go." Sokka said, reclining against the side of the saddle.

"I'm not coming." Aria answered baldly.

"What?" Aang and Katara cried in unison. All three of them stared at her as if seeing her for the first time and Aria smiled faintly.

"I've got to go back. Here, I don't have a lot of time but this should explain everything." Aria answered, digging into her pack and pulling out Jirou's letter. Sokka jumped to the ground and pulled the crumpled parchment out of Aria's hand.

"Aria, are you insane?" Sokka cried, passing the letter up for the other two to read, "Zuko is evil now! He's just a horrible person. How do you know he even still loves you? You'd be throwing yourself away and he wouldn't even care. And how could you even think about helping to capture Aang?"

"Don't even go there." Aria snapped, "Obviously I wouldn't turn in Aang. I'd say he's trying to master earthbending in the Earth Kingdom or something. And don't talk about Zuko to me. It's none of your business."

"But what about his firebending?" Katara asked, "Jeong Jeong is gone; who knows when we can find another firebender."

"That doesn't matter." Aang answered, suddenly looking ashamed, "I'm never firebending again."

"First, yes, you will firebend again Aang. You have to you're the Avatar." Aria pointed out, "Second, you found Jeong Jeong once, you can find him again. He's the best teacher for Aang. If not, it will work out somehow."

"Aria," Katara said softly, sliding down Appa's side, "How can you go back to him after…after what happened?"

Aria looked as if she was going to be sick; her lips were tightly compressed and her face devoid of color.

"I've been trying to think of a way out and I just don't see it. I don't want to; I'm terrified but I don't have a choice. I can't ignore this if it means Aang will get some breathing room to master waterbending and Zuko's honor will be restored." Aria pleaded, as if desperate for someone to produce a valid argument.

"How are you even going to find them now? I'm sure Zhao didn't just set up camp on the riverbank to hang out." Sokka asked.

"The Avatar was just here!" Aria emphasized, "Zhao will be thorough; he isn't going to rely on you being gone just because Appa flew off. I bet patrols are moving through the woods right now, it won't be hard for me to hook up with one of them."

Without a word, Katara rushed forward and hugged Aria fiercely, Aang jumping down and joining in. After a brief pause, Sokka grumbled and wrapped his arms around all of them. A great surge of emotion tore at Aria's chest, making her eyes prickle. She stood completely still, not returning the embrace but effected by it all the same.

"You don't have to do this." Katara mumbled into Aria's shoulder.

"You guys are some of the best friends I've ever had." Aria said, gently extracting herself from the others, "Get your butts to the North Pole. Who knows what will happen? We could see each other again."

Pulling her pack back over her shoulder, Aria marched off. At the edge of the woods, she turned and, with a flourish, saluted them in the Fire Nation military fashion before disappearing under the trees. Aria only walked for a few minutes before leaning on a tree and leaning forward, her hands on her knees. Her breath was coming in great gasps and she felt as if she was suffocating. Her heart thudded like mad against her ribcage as if seeking escape and her legs shook. What am I doing? The mantra repeated over and over in her head and fear and panic blossomed in her chest like an unwelcome weed. It took a good ten minutes before she managed to get her body under control; she took a great, shaky breath and straightened her shirt before striding off quickly, determined to find a patrol before she changed her mind.

The light was of a flickering, inconsistent quality; the source obviously being from a fire. Low voices drifted through the trees, disturbing the otherwise quiet environment. Aria approached the warm, reddish glow quickly but stopped just outside the light, still invisible in the inky darkness of the surrounding forest. She surveyed the men lounging in Fire Nation uniforms coldly and calmly, feeling such strong disdain it almost drowned out the fear. Hitching an arrogant smile in place, Aria strode into the light.

"Evening gentlemen."


	23. Chapter 23

**Recently, I went back and read everything I've written so far. It's incredibly frustrating; at some points I felt the urge to slap myself! But anyways, thanks for reading! I appreciate some readers taking the time to review! Cheers!**

If it weren't for the fact that Zhao was waiting on one of them, the sight of the many Fire Nation ships docked at the bustling port would have been a relief for Aria. Upon revealing herself, the Fire Nation soldiers had insisted on departing right away, marching through the night and well into the morning. Every few seconds Aria had to slap at her face and neck, fending off the whining attacks of blood sucking bugs. One man's rasping breaths were an unwelcome and irritating disturbance, seemingly impossible to ignore. Slowing their progress immensely, the lead man continuously craned around, fussily checking on Aria's state. She couldn't decide who was more annoying; the mouth breather or the do-gooder. By the time they had emerged from the woods, with the sun now well up in the sky, Aria was quite eager to be rid of her entourage.

Within minutes, the grass underfoot soon changed to a worn dirt path and then to the wooden planks of a boardwalk; small buildings began sprouting along the path, leading into the messy sprawl of the port town, the huge Navy ships dominating the horizon. Aria kept her head down, ignoring the respectful bows and cheers of the people gathered on the edges of the walk. They act like Azula herself was walking into town, Aria thought bitterly. The walk they were treading made a straight beeline for the docks and soon all Aria could see of western sky was the great hulking mass of steel that made up Zhao's flag ship. The closer they got, the higher Aria's heart rate seemed to rise; it now seemed to be galloping right out of her chest and her stomach clenched into a tight knot. Her body was so tense it was almost painful; every now and then a muscle twitched as if protesting against such treatment. She baulked only a fraction of a second at the end of the dock before taking a deep breath, squaring her shoulders, and stepping onto the gangplank; never in her life had she performed an act of such supreme willpower.

Charging up the gangplank quickly, so as not to drag out the moment, Aria spotted Zhao before he did her; having had no messenger hawks available, the patrol had been unable to send word of Aria turning up and she would not be expected. He stood on deck near the other side of the ship, barking out orders as men scurried to do as he bid. It had been easy to pick him out from the others; he was a good head taller than many of the men under his command with great broad shoulders and arms swollen with muscle under his Commanders uniform. His dark hair was pulled back from his stern, albeit handsome face and in the few seconds Aria had to observe him she wondered why such an ugly person on the inside was allowed such a gorgeous outside. A great ripple effect seemed to be taking place on deck as slowly the crew members noticed the newcomer to their ship. Each seemed instinctively to know who the young woman was and they edged forward, each wanting a better look at the girl who had been so elusive over the past months. Inevitably, Zhao's head turned toward the distraction and he locked eyes with Aria who had not been able to look away from him since she had gained the deck. For Aria, the next few minutes seemed to take an eternity to pass. Faint surprise was overshadowed by a huge smile of what seemed to be genuine excitement on Zhao's face. The smallest of smiles ghosted across Aria's face; he looked like nothing more than an overgrown boy just given the best birthday surprise of his life.

Zhao started forward in great, ground eating strides and, realizing she too had a part to play, Aria bound forward and met him halfway. His arms opened to accept her into a tight embrace that robbed her of her breath and cracked her back. They stood that way for several seconds, during which Aria felt incredibly tiny in his arms, before Zhao pulled back and moved his hands up her arms and onto her neck. With a gentleness that seriously surprised Aria, Zhao tilted her head back, staring into her eyes so intensely it made Aria want to squirm, and kissed her softly. There was a small, hardly noticeable, pause before Aria responded, laying her hands on his chest and pressing up against him. Zhao's lips curved up into a smile against hers; this was proving to be a good morning. Aria's cheeks glowed a bright red when applause and wolf whistles broke out from the most senior officers on board and she attempted to pull away, only getting as far as being tucked safely under Zhao's arm. Judging it safe by the smile still in place on Zhao's face, the rest of the crew joined in the applause and Aria wished she could disappear. Rage and humiliation were making Aria tremble and tears threatened to spill over but she smiled widely; she imagined the tears only made her look the part of reunited lover more effectively.

"Men! My love has finally been freed from the Avatar!" Zhao boomed out, giving her another squeeze, "After months of fear and anger, tonight is a night for celebration! Each of you is ordered to drink in my beautiful Aria's honor tonight! Bring up the rest of the firewhiskey!"

This small speech was met with a deafening cheer from the sailors while several men scrambled down into the hold, cheerfully fulfilling Zhao's orders; if anyone noticed the slightly stiff quality of the smile hitched in place on Aria's face or the cold glint of her eyes, they were smart enough to refrain from remarking upon it.

"Have food prepared and brought up. Good food; Aria's been held by savages, who knows what they allowed her to eat. We'll sail in the morning; the rest of the patrols should be coming back throughout the day." Zhao addressed one of his subordinates in a lower voice, "I'm taking Aria below to get settled, we've got a lot of catching up to do; keep one squadron on each ship back from drinking. I'll be topside within the hour."

"You over did it." Aria stated blandly, shadowing Zhao down the same corridor she had been led down weeks before.

"Excuse me?" Zhao asked, swinging open the huge, steel door to his room and standing back for Aria to enter first. Though every instinct in her body screamed at her for doing it, Aria turned her back on Zhao and entered, hunching her shoulders up around her neck. Her eyes rested on his colossal bed, bringing up that ugly memory before she turned to face him again.

"You over did it." Aria repeated slowly, "Fear, really? Anger would make sense coming from you; not fear."

"Ah, you wound me." Zhao answered sarcastically. He sauntered to the small sitting area and threw himself into the same chair he had occupied the last time Aria had been in this room. When Aria continued to stand stiffly in the middle of the room, Zhao gestured exasperatedly at the chair across from him, "Sit. Relax; I just want to talk."

Aria sank into the chair across from his and drew her feet up, not really caring if she dirtied the upholstery with her boots. For several long seconds they surveyed each other, Aria uptight and Zhao lounging.

"Well Aria, you're looking quite…rugged." Zhao stated calmly, his eyes roving over her patched and frayed shirt, threadbare pants, and worn boots.

"Months wandering around the in the woods will do that to you." Aria answered. Shifting in her seat, Aria leaned toward him slightly and a small smile spread across her face. "So…tell me; how long did it take you to walk back here? You know, because you burned down your own boats."

A gust of air blew hard out of Zhao's dilated nostrils and he clenched his fists so tightly the knuckles turned white. Aria observed the muscle in his clenched jaw twitching with interest, waiting to see what Zhao would do.

"I've missed that mouth of yours." Zhao answered after a moment in a deceptively calm voice. The muscles in his arms and shoulders visibly relaxed though a small frown crease still marred his brow.

"Ah, you've learned to control your temper. Those constant blow ups didn't suit you at all." Aria answered sweetly. She wasn't sure of what drove her to poke at the sleeping dragon that was Zhao's temper, only that he needed to know she wasn't intimidated…and it really was rather amusing to see him frustrated…

"Let's discuss the Avatar." Zhao said in a loud voice, ignoring her.

"I don't know much." Aria answered flippantly, "The plans were always pretty vague and not well thought out. Last I knew we were looking for an Earth bending master to teach Aang. BaSingSe was discussed. So was going back to Omashu. Seriously, they're just a bunch of kids; planning isn't a strong point."

"You're a dirty little liar." Zhao answered in amusement, "They're going to the North Pole. You can't tell everyone where you're headed and expect us not to find out."

"What are you talking about?" Aria asked, unsure of what else to say.

"Kyoshi, the trading port, that traitor Shiou; all were able to agree on one point. The Avatar is flying to the North Pole to master Waterbending. Someone as important as the Avatar always leaves a trail." Zhao stated pompously.

"Well, sounds like I don't need to be on this ship at all." Aria answered briskly, peeved and somewhat worried by his information, "You'll be taking me back to the Capital then?"

"No." Zhao snorted in derision, "Where's the fun in that? I'm not sure why you're so eager to get back home anyway; your father is going to play with you, he's going to bring you to your knees and keep you there until I take you off his hands."

"What about Zuko? What's being done for him? When will he be allowed back?" Aria asked.

"It's being taken care of; don't worry yourself." Zhao answered with an odd smile.

"Has there been any news of the ship that got captured off Whale Tail Island?" Aria asked, not liking the look of that smile but hungry for information.

"You mean the ship you were allowed to stow away on?" Zhao asked with his eyebrows raised, "You've not been near as sneaky as you think; the entire dock saw you get on that ship. The ship was salvaged along with much of the crew and is being readied for deployment."

Zhao paused and regarded her silently for several seconds, rubbing his chin absently.

"But I assume that wasn't the information you were looking for. You want to know about the Commander. What was his name again?" Zhao asked in feigned ignorance.

"Kon." Aria answered from between clenched teeth.

"Oh. Right. Commander Kon. It's likely he's currently in a prison cell in the dungeons of BaSingSe but we've made no attempt to recover him; perhaps it'll teach him to stay away from what's mine." Zhao stated in a deadly voice, his eyes boring into hers.

"I was the one who lied to him! You're going to let a Fire Nation Commander rot in prison because of something I did? He didn't even know who I was! He only let me on because I told him I had been kicked out of my house and that I could read maps!" Aria responded angrily.

"Please don't be naïve Aria; if he didn't know outright who you were, he would still have an idea you were somebody important; high class, spoiled brat radiates off you in waves. I don't completely condemn him; a young, charming, beautiful girl coming onto him. I'd have considered it as well, if only to get what you were promising."

"You're disgusting." Aria answered in a wavering voice, "I never came onto him."

"The crew says differently. They all report seeing fraternization between you two; joking, dancing, disappearing together. Several seemed to think he fancied you. It raises a lot of questions. For myself, I believe you're one cold hearted slut. Did you ever love Zuko or were you using him to get to the throne like you used Kon to get onto that ship and away from the Capital?"

Aria was positively shaking with rage, her face flushed red and her lips pressed tightly together. A triumphant smile covered Zhao's face and he leaned toward her.

"You should learn to control your temper better; it doesn't suit you…" Zhao stated, standing up and moving across the room to a chest of drawers. "Don't play games with me; I'm much better at it than you."

Aria sat ramrod straight in her chair, trying to calm the fury pumping through her veins while Zhao rifled through a drawer. She and Zuko had been meant for each other; never had she cared for someone more. He had no idea about Aria and Kon's relationship; Kon had been nothing more than her Commanding Officer. A bolt of anguish and distress seared through her chest, revealing the true depth of her feelings for the imprisoned officer. None of it mattered anyway, she thought bitterly, watching Zhao.

"Here, put these on." Zhao said, tossing her a bundle of clothes.

"Are you going to leave?" Aria asked in a deadpan voice.

"No." He answered simply.

"What poor girl did these come from? I hope she was here willingly." Aria asked rudely, examining the distinctly feminine clothing.

Zhao snorted in contempt.

"You're about the only one I've ever had trouble convincing." He answered arrogantly.

Angrily, Aria stood and kicked her boots off, sending them flying across the room. Her trousers went next, pooling at her feet before she kicked them off too. Zhao watched her with intense eyes, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth. Aria met his gaze, refusing to look embarrassed or particularly bothered at all; in reality a sickening combination of humiliation and anger was snaking its way through her midriff. She grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it up over her head, the scars on her sides pulling uncomfortably. Shivering in her underclothes, she reached for the pile of clothes Zhao had given her.

"Did I do this?" Zhao asked silkily, sauntering over and pulling her back up against him. His fingers trailed over the scars lightly before grabbing her more tightly and pushing his face into her hair.

"Yes." Aria spit out, hating him.

"Shame." He murmured, his breath tickling her ear. "You had such perfect white skin."

In what seemed to be an act of supreme willpower, he pushed her away roughly and sat back in his chair, watching her with hooded eyes. Again Aria made a grab for the clothes and moved quickly, getting dressed in what she judged was under a minute. The laces of the boots made a loud rasping noise when she jerked them tight and tied them off. She straightened and looked at Zhao expectantly.

"Ravishing." Zhao said sarcastically, responding to her questioning gaze and standing up again. "Let's go."

When Aria moved for the door, dragging her feet, with an expression akin to someone who had just smelled something unpleasant, Zhao caught her arm and spun her around to face him.

"Let me remind you of our agreement. We have yet to be legally bound but for all intents and purposes you are my wife and will act like it. If you want that sad excuse of a man to be safe in the Capital you'll cooperate." Zhao threatened, "Every single one of those men better believe you're pathetically in love with me. Understood?"

Aria fought against the fury that was so distorting her normally pleasant face for several minutes, staring straight ahead at Zhao's chest, before she was able to relax, though it was still simmering underneath. Almost imperceptibly, she nodded; a quick jerk in each direction while biting the inside of her cheek.

Zhao led the way to the stairs that would take them above deck, the metal corridor ringing with their footsteps. When halfway up the stairs, Aria grabbed Zhao's hand; her delicate hand was almost completely encompassed by Zhao's huge one. And by the time they stepped out on deck, a bright smile was securely in place to greet the cheering sailors.

It was hours later that Aria and Zhao returned to his quarters. The celebration had consisted of the high ranking officers trying to impress their Admiral and the enlisted sailors trying to stay out of the way and have a good time. Aria had smiled sweetly while she had been paraded before the Commanders from each of the ships, all the while wrapping her arm around Zhao's waist; his arm being draped over her shoulders possessively. The food, alcohol, and conversation flowed freely and Aria found herself answering all sorts of questions regarding the Avatar's cruelty and the trials she had to face and she hated herself for having to lie. Occasionally, Zhao would pull her face up to his and kiss her, inciting cheers and applause from the nearby sailors. The pulses of anger and disgust were so powerful inside of her, Aria was surprised it didn't scorch the men surrounding her. Well past midnight, Zhao announced their retreat back to his quarters and Aria followed meekly, unsure if she should be relieved or terrified.

When Zhao turned to face Aria again after securely fastening the door, he was met with a look of such pure hatred that lesser man would have quailed before it; he simply laughed. This wildcat could only roar; her claws and fangs had been removed effectively the moment Zuko's well-being had been addressed.

"Night cap?" Zhao asked casually over his shoulder, making his way to the well-used drinks cabinet. Aria's brows lowered into a suspicious scowl and she crossed her arms when offered the deep red wine. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice shame on me. There was no way she was taking another drink offered by him. A deep, throaty chuckle emanated from Zhao's broad, smiling mouth and with deliberate slowness, he took a mouthful from both of the glasses in his hands.

"I assume, with our arrangement, I don't need to resort to taking your bending." Zhao stated, "How long did that last by the way?"

With a loud clink of glass on wood, Zhao set his own drink on the sitting area table and sat down to pull his boots off. Ignoring him, Aria perched herself lightly on the edge of the bed, clutching her glass as if it were her only tie to life. Her brain seemed only capable of one thought; why?

"Why? Why me?" Aria blinked in surprise, she had not meant to say it out loud. When Zhao's sharp gaze met hers, Aria swallowed nervously and plunged ahead, "There's got to be a thousand other women who would have you. Would claw each other's eyes out to catch you in marriage. And lots of them with connections to highly placed military officers. So just why are you spending so much energy on me?"

Zhao contemplated her silently for several minutes before answering, that hated, crooked smile spreading slowly across his face.

"Don't sell yourself short, Aria. I initiated the marriage contract because of your father but you've kept my interest completely on your own. You're an incredibly talented bender. I've heard it said that your children are the only legacy with any real meaning you get to leave behind. If that turns out to be the case, our children will be a testament to my greatness and power. On top of that, I find you maddeningly attractive. I want you. I want every part of you to be mine. I want to have you whenever I want."

At this point, Zhao's face grew serious and he leaned forward, staring at her intently. Aria felt as if she might be sick.

"And most of all, I love when you fight me. I love how much you hate me. A woman who loves me would never consent to the things I'm going to do to you. I don't need or want their love. I want to break you so when I'm done there will be nothing left of you but fear and acceptance."

Aria was struck dumb at this small speech; he sounded like a psychopath. Though the small smile had reappeared on Zhao's face, a new, sinister air seemed to be radiating from him; never before had Aria been so frightened by him. She downed the rest of her wine to buy time to get herself back under control, her heart racing. The uncomfortable spinning of her head made her immediately regret the rush of alcohol.

"Unfortunately, after a discussion with General Jirou, it was decided nothing more should be done to risk your and your father's honor." Zhao continued lightly, throwing back a mouthful of his own drink. Aria stared at him incomprehensibly, making Zhao grin without humor.

"At your father's command, I cannot bed you. We wouldn't want to stick you with a squalling babe before we've wed. That'd be most…shameful." Zhao stated baldly.

He laughed cruelly at the flicker of relief that passed across Aria's face.

"After all this time, you're still an ignorant little girl." Zhao said maliciously. He paused and drained the last of his wine before slamming the glass back down on the table and standing up. "There are plenty of things we can do to occupy the nights."

"It won't matter if you do it or not!" Aria responded shrilly, "If we spend the night in the same room the damage is done anyway!"

"They can whisper, nothing more." Zhao answered carelessly.

Aria tensed and watched with carefully blank eyes as Zhao crossed the short distance between them. She could feel bile threatening to rise up her throat but swallowed it back. Zhao grabbed her under the chin and pulled her face up to look at him. She met his gaze evenly; his touch was so far gentle but her heart was already pounding as if in warning.

"You are a beauty." Zhao stated lustily. Aria let him push her back onto the bed stiffly, her hands balled into tight fists. A slight frown pulled the corner of Zhao's mouth.

"Keep in mind, Aria, I have control of the Prince's fate. Should Jirou hear you were being uncooperative, the Prince will live out the rest of his life in the Earth Kingdom and you'll go back to the Fire Nation in chains if need be." He stated smoothly, "So you're going to have to do better than that. Convince me."


	24. Chapter 24

The night had passed unbearably slow for Aria. Minutes after he had finished with her, Zhao fell asleep. His heavy arm draped over Aria's ribcage was horribly restrictive and the stickiness of his sweaty chest pressed against her bare back was almost unendurable. She had spent the rest of the night staring at the opposite wall, listening to Zhao's deep, regular breathing and the distant crash of waves against the hull of the ship. Without a lot of success, Aria tried to quell the tremors sweeping across her body, terrified of waking him up and provoking another attack. Her mind seemed incapable of processing anything other than shame, guilt and humiliation; it was overwhelming, paralyzing. It was a good thing she would be marrying Zhao; she was no longer fit for any other man. Several tears slipped silently down the curve of her cheeks in close procession. Her legs traveling all the way up her backside to her shoulders were permeated with a deep soreness; the few times she had dared to shift her position had been incredibly uncomfortable. A feeling of being unclean overcame her and it was all she could do to keep from bolting from the bed to find the nearest bath.

She quickly closed her eyes when, with a low groan, Zhao removed his arm and sat up. Desperately, she slowed her breathing, trying her hardest to appear asleep, hoping he had somewhere pressing to be. He was the Admiral of an entire fleet; he had to have something to do. Every sound seemed magnified tenfold; the creak of the bed when Zhao lifted his weight off, his barefoot tread, the splash of water where Aria assumed he was washing his face, the rustle of clothing, and then finally the wailing of the heavy steel door. Aria kept her breathing calm and waited several heartbeats before she dared open her eyes; the room was indeed empty.

While getting dressed, Aria avoided at all costs looking at her own body, irrationally afraid of what she would see. The elaborate gold embroidery on the seams of her new clothes gleamed dully in the low light and, after wearing her own threadbare, worn clothes for so long, seemed overly luxurious. It was odd how fast perspective could change; in the Capital, every single article of clothing she owned had been just as high quality as the clothes she had been given if not better. With a final effort to look normal, Aria splashed her face in the wash basin and restrained her hair in a high top knot. On the stand next to the basin was a small shaving mirror and she picked it up on impulse to examine herself. Her already pale skin was now almost devoid of color and light shadows ringed the bottom of her eyes; she had not slept a minute. She replaced the mirror before her eyes could travel to her red spotted neck and pulled her collar up as high as she could before stepping out the door.

Immediately upon Aria stepping out into the corridor, a short, brick of a man detached himself from the wall and bobbed down in a small bow. A pug like face surrounded by a thick matt of sideburns was mounted on a body that looked as if it were designed along the lines of a komodo rhino.

"Seaman Xan at your service." The man stated in a neutral, surprisingly smooth voice. By the looks of him, he should have had a voice of gargled gravel. Aria contemplated ignoring him; the prospect of being polite seemed exhausting. It was with almost a sense of wonderment that she remembered she didn't need to be particularly polite; these people all knew her for who she was. There were very few people General Jirou's daughter and Admiral Zhao's betrothed needed to be deferential to.

"Your services won't be needed." Aria answered shortly, "Resume your duties."

"I'm sorry ma'am." The man answered, looking unperturbed. "Admiral Zhao has ordered you escorted at all times. The threat of the Avatar has not yet passed."

"Well, I'm telling you I don't need you. Zhao is mistaken in wasting man power on me; I'll be just fine." Aria answered in a logical voice.

"Admiral Zhao wishes me to escort you." The man insisted calmly.

"As wonderful a man as Admiral Zhao is, he's not acting as a commander in this circumstance. He's blinded by his love for me." Aria said, trying to stay calm.

Xan said nothing but continued to watch her with an irritatingly bland expression; anger immediately flared in Aria.

"Zhao answers to my father! If General Jirou hears I'm unhappy I guarantee Admiral Zhao can't protect your job!" Aria almost shouted. Suddenly, tears threatened to spill over and she had to stop talking; it was horrifying to her how much of a mess she was today. She couldn't keep herself pulled together. She glared at him, daring him to make a comment.

"Admiral Zhao, not General Jirou, is my commanding officer." Xan answered, "I apologize if you take offense to this."

Aria frowned, staring at the man's bland face; Zhao had chosen somebody she couldn't persuade or bully into what she wanted. His foresight infuriated her; she had never held his intelligence in high regard but recently he had been surprising her. Waiting to respond until she could do so without a waver in her voice, Aria ran her tongue across her teeth and clenched and unclenched her hands.

"You can follow me around all you want if it makes you happy." Aria finally said calmly, "I'm going for a walk."

The metal corridors that snaked through the bowels of the ship were oppressively narrow and cramped. Their tread was magnified and rang metallically; Aria had forgotten how loud it could be. It was freaking her out how closely the man was following her and it took a conscious effort to keep from hunching her shoulders up. There was several minutes of directionless wandering before, vaguely, Aria realized she was hungry and it became her mission to find the galley; she refused to ask Xan for directions, in fact, she was determined not to talk with him at all. She took the first stairwell going up available, remembering where the galley had been located on Kon's ship and hoping it would be the same. After some trial and error, barely acknowledging the respectful bows of passing sailors and studiously ignoring Xan, she managed to stumble across the galley.

Raucous laughter and loud conversation mixed with the scrapes of benches being pulled back, cutlery clinking against plates, and the occasional voice raised in anger. At the end of the room was a decent queue in front of a small window where a lanky young cook's boy was handing out trays of food; Aria joined the line, her stomach almost painfully empty. Though Aria was perfectly content waiting in line, apparently Xan was not. He elbowed past men, growling low toned threats under his breath and motioning Aria forward. Stalking forward angrily, Aria snatched her tray and sat at the emptiest table she could find; she was unappreciative of the attention Xan had drawn. Men were now watching her curiously and talking in much more hushed voices. Perhaps a bit moodily, Aria stirred through the overdone noodles glooping over her chopsticks while Xan looked on, not partaking of any food. Within minutes, first one man than another came and sat at her table until not a seat was left. Xan glared protectively; Zhao would hold him responsible for anything that happened. While the men chatted amiably, Aria gave every appearance of listening politely but in all reality, if asked what they were saying, probably couldn't give an adequate answer. It was only when the ship gave a noticeable lurch and the feeling of the waves rocking the great ship became much more pronounced, that Aria looked up in interest.

"What's going on?" Her voice sounding softly feminine among so many men.

"We're leaving this port for our base up near that town, Makapu. To wait for the rest of the fleet." The man directly across from her answered.

"The rest of the fleet?" Aria asked, "Is this not all of it?"

The men laughed good-humoredly at this young girl who knew nothing of military affairs.

"Attack the North Pole with only fifteen ships?" A different man jumped in, eager to participate. "Those savages have been holed up there good and tight for hundreds of years; their defenses are going to be formidable. It's the last big concentration of Waterbenders."

"Oh." Aria answered simply, becoming silent once more. The information was worrying but didn't seem to penetrate the haze that had been surrounding Aria all day, muting her feelings until the occasional outburst managed to stab its way through.

Saying the proper farewells, Aria extracted herself from the bench and left, not caring if Xan was following or not. After brief contemplation, Aria headed topside; she really had no idea what was expected of her and wanted to take advantage of the free time to refine her lightening bending. Maybe if Zhao knew she could fry him at a whim he'd hesitate messing with her in the future.

A breeze that tasted of salt and freshness met Aria when she threw open the door leading to the deck. She stepped out onto the rolling deck, glad she had gained her sea legs on Kon's ship. When she stood at the very prow of the ship it was almost easy to convince herself that she was alone; Zhao's flagship was in the lead and on the front and left nothing was visible but heaving ocean, white caps indicating where the waves had broken. On the right, visible only as slightly raised hillocks on the horizon, was the shore. The illusion was broken when she turned to face the stern. A great black column of smoke billowed out of the command tower, leaving an ugly trail in its wake. To the sides and behind, almost identical ships contributed to the pollution of the no longer blue sky.

Electric blue lightening trailed after her hands as she flowed from once stance to another, marveling at the relative ease with which she manipulated this pure energy. True, it was still much harder for her than summoning fire which, for her, was as natural as breathing, but perhaps immodestly, she was impressed with how far she had come. The concentration required blocked out all other thoughts and she managed to escape the ugly feelings and memories that had been so thoroughly eating away at her that day. Without reserve, she threw herself into the moves, shooting bolt after bolt of electricity upward where it dispersed into the cloudless sky. It was only when sweat began stinging her eyes and her hair was creeping out of the top knot that she paused, placing her hands on her thighs to catch her breath.

A smattering of applause and a few whistles broke out; without Aria noticing, sailors had gathered around to watch. Some leaned lazily against the railings of the ship, others stood grouped in a loose half circle at a safe distance. A small frown appeared on Aria's brow; she hadn't noticed the men converging upon her and was thoroughly uncomfortable. A gruff voice shouted from somewhere in the middle of the group.

"Five gold pieces says she can beat your arse up and down this boat, Jiang-Hu!"

The man apparently named Jiang-Hu shifted from foot to foot, looking unsure; his hesitation was understandable, the man that hurt Zhao's fiancé was in for a world of trouble.

"C'mon!"

"What are you a man or not?"

"You owe me three gold pieces, you better take her!"

Voices egged him on from all sides, each calling him the most creative names Aria had never heard. Having enough, the man spoke up.

"Make it ten gold pieces and you cover my watch shift tonight!" Jiang-Hu shouted at the man who had made the original bet. "Provided you consent, ma'am." He added, looking askance of Aria.

Aria shrugged; she could use the practice and it was nothing to her if this man lost his gold.

"Sure." She said detachedly, looking at him with such a deadpan expression that he shifted uncomfortably.

"No lightening?" He asked cautiously.

"If you don't want." Aria agreed.

The man nodded and stepped forward, already on high alert. Separated by several feet, they bowed to each other and Aria readied herself to fight, flexing at the knees and raising her hands to chest level. She watched the man, calculating his position and that of her environment. Detachedly, she noticed Xan at the forefront of the crowd, looking angry and ready to intercede. There was not much room to retreat should she need it; this was going to be an up close, dirty fight. Quickly in her head, she reviewed her arsenal of short range attacks and planned the likely course of the fight. All of this was thought out in the few seconds before Jiang-Hu raised one arm above his head, conjuring a fiery whip; an unwieldy choice for such a cramped situation. Reacting immediately, Aria darted forward instead of retreating, becoming too close for effective use of the fire whip. In both fists, she formed short, dagger like tongues of flame and attacked, slashing at the man's face and chest. Immediately he relinquished control of the whip, instead choosing to give up his footing to beat a hasty retreat to protect himself. Recovering his bearing, the man formed the same fire daggers and closed in on her. For several minutes they wove in and out, each trying to land a blow while avoiding the other's ferocious swings. Aria managed to sear a black line across the man's chest plate and burned a great hole in the sleeve of his upper arm, complete with a shiny new burn on the skin underneath. In return, she had received only a slightly smoking shirt hem.

They parted and circled each other briefly, the man appraising Aria with a new found wariness. Aria was fully aware of the unfair advantage she held over this man; no one in their right mind was going to seriously hurt her. At the very least he would spend time in the brig, at the very worst Zhao would go into a murderous rage and possibly have the man killed. It didn't bother her a bit; in a fight, she was going to use every advantage her enemy handed to her. She only hoped ten gold pieced and a night off was worth whatever happened afterward.

Choosing brute strength over finesse this time, Aria sent a great blast of her blue fire which the man only deflected by raising a small barrier of fire in front of him. The resulting blast sent him spinning several feet back and the on looking crowd ducked. When he regained his feet, Jiang-Hu had a bloody nose which he wiped away impatiently; it was easy to see that he was beginning to lose his composure. He couldn't lose to this girl and keep his standing with the men on the ship. With a snarl he ran at her, both hands held to his left and trailing flame. Within feet of her he released the fire and it came winging in her direction. He had predicted her dodging it and had prepared a second attack closely following. He was rewarded for his foresight when one of his flame covered fists connected solidly with the side of her face and the other darted forward to land a devastating blow to her breastbone.

Aria staggered back and fell flat on her back, stars erupting across her field of vision. Though she was having trouble breathing and could barely see, she heard Jiang-Hu coming and rolled quickly out of the way as another blast of fire blackened the deck exactly where she had fallen. The yells and cheers of the crowd could barely be heard over the ringing in her ears as she quickly tried to compose herself. She had misjudged him; she didn't think he would dare actually hit her.

Without warning, she surged forward, sending quick blasts of fire at him, one after the other. Jiang-Hu was taken by surprise; he was mistakenly under the impression that she would be unable to recover so quickly from being hit so hard. Several of the fire blasts connected, making him fly backward and hit the deck hard. In a flash, Aria was on top of him. She shoved her knee hard into his ribcage, leaving him gasping for air, and grabbed his hair, forcing him to stretch his neck out. Keeping an open flame almost up against his exposed throat, Aria dug her knee deeper.

"You lose?" She questioned. When he struggled to get out from under her, she put the flame closer, scorching his neck.

"Yes!" He yelped, "You win."

Aria released him and stood, leaving him to put out his clothes as they had taken fire where the blasts had hit. Without pausing to talk to the many men who surrounded her, patting her on the back and trading money from bets over her head, Aria stalked off, closely shadowed by Xan. At the time, she had been happy for a chance to exercise her bending against an actual Firebender but now wanted nothing more than to be left alone.

"Excuse me, Ma'am, but perhaps we should go to medical. Your face is going to bruise." Xan said neutrally.

"And going to medical will stop it from bruising?" Aria asked sarcastically, "If you're worried about your job, don't be. Zhao's been away all day. How's he to know I was fighting? I'll tell him I fell."

Aria did not see Zhao until she had returned to his room from getting dinner that night at the galley, leaving Xan out in the corridor. Upon arrival, the room was empty and she examined herself in the shaving mirror. A nasty bruise had indeed formed on both the side of her face and on her chest. These fresh additions, in combination with the slightly different type of bruise on her neck, made her look a mess and she was only glad the bruises on her backside weren't visible to the public eye. She had just pulled her hair down and was working on pulling her boots off when the door swung open and Zhao stepped through. The sight of him instantly made a wave of cold settle in the pit of her stomach but she refused to acknowledge that she may actually be afraid of him.

"You've had a busy day." Zhao said calmly, shutting the door behind him.

"Not really." Aria answered evasively, "What about you? You've been gone all day."

"You fought with one of the men off duty for a bet. He put hands on you; look at your face." Zhao growled, ignoring her flimsy attempt at distraction. "And on top of that you ate with the enlisted men in the galley."

"What'd Xan tell you I was fighting? If you want this marriage to work, we're going to need some more trust. I can't do this alone. No more setting your goons to follow me." Aria answered in a sarcastically hurt voice.

"You will not act that way again." Zhao commanded in a thunderous voice, his temper beginning to rear its ugly head.

"Act like what? Like I don't want to sit in a room all day with no human interaction other than Xan? Who apparently can't be trusted anyway because he won't keep his mouth shut. I apologize for getting hungry; I'll avoid that in the future." Aria argued angrily, dropping her newly shed boots and sidling back out of arms reach. "You're an idiot if you think I'm going to sit here all day, waiting for you to get back and attack me."

Zhao charged at her, his speed surprising coming from someone with so much bulk, and slammed her, stomach first, against the wall. He grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her head back so violently, Aria felt several of them part company with her scalp.

"You apparently haven't learned your lesson, Aria." Zhao growled, "I'm beginning to think you like this every bit as much as I do, the way you're always asking for it with that smart mouth."

"Well, an intelligent person would switch up their methods if they weren't getting results." Aria blurted out cynically.

His face contorted in a violent snarl, Zhao used his handful of her hair to throw her to the floor. Anticipating a follow up attack, Aria scrambled across the floor for several feet before jumping to her feet and bracing herself against the wall. To her surprise, Zhao had not moved from the spot but only stood watching her with a worrying smile playing at the corner of his mouth. When he stepped forward Aria flinched but other than a small chortle, Zhao ignored her and began splashing his face in the wash basin. Finding Aria still glued to the spot, Zhao set down the towel he had been wiping his face dry with and began undressing.

"I'm not going to fight with you." He stated calmly, pulling his shirt over his head. When Aria made a sound of disbelief, his smile returned, "I don't need to fight you. Sure, it's fun when you fight, but it's much more entertaining to watch you self-destruct. To watch you put yourself through, as I'm sure you see it, hell, all in the name of love. Now, unless you've rethought your situation and want to leave the Prince to find his own way home, come here."

Aria's heart seemed to have been replaced with a shard of ice, stabbing into her chest and making her want to gasp for air. She couldn't do it; she couldn't make herself act willing, even eager, to go into his arms. His hooded eyes watched her curiously as she began to tremble and finally, after several minutes, took a stiff step forward. Every step seemed to increase the fear blossoming in her chest until it became overwhelming and she stopped, having covered only a little over half the distance to Zhao. Seemingly undisturbed by her inability to finish the task, he closed the distance between them and pulled her hips up against him. Aria felt sick to her stomach when his crotch pushed up against her lower stomach, betraying his eagerness.

"Have you ever considered the possibility of being killed in your sleep?" Aria asked as if discussing the weather.

"It'd have to be incredibly clever. Anything less than that; fire, lightening, stabbing, poison-they can be easily detected." Zhao murmured, punctuating his words with trailing kisses up her neck, "And as I assume it's you contemplating my death here, you better not mess up. The person that kills me will spend life in prison, no matter how important their father is."

"Maybe it's worth it." Aria answered.

"Then consider the effect it would have on Zuko." Zhao pointed out, "Please don't be so delusional as to think that if you broke our agreement, our half would still be honored. Trust me, if I die, though we may not be able to officially banish him again, there are other ways of taking care of that problem. So you better try your hardest to make it look like an accident."

"I've got nothing but time to plan." Aria answered coldly.

"In the meantime," Zhao stated, ignoring her implied threat and supremely unperturbed by the complete loathing residing behind her icy gaze, "the only sound I want to hear coming out of your mouth, are your moans when you discover what a real man can do."

Aria closed her eyes and imagined Zhao's frantic eyes staring wildly while his hands scrabbled at the knife hilt sticking out of his chest. After his futile struggling, his eyes went glassy and his body relaxed, blood pooling beneath him. That image disappeared to be replaced by Zhao falling to the floor, his eyes bulging and froth spilling from his mouth as poison overcame him. Lost as she was in her macabre fantasy, his touch became almost bearable.


	25. Chapter 25

Steam rose in lazy coils from the surface of the water, spreading the clean, almost flowery scent of soap around the room. The sloping sides of the metal tub held onto the heat from the water and were almost uncomfortably warm against her sensitive skin. Though the wonderfully hot water was a decidedly huge improvement from bathing in whatever body of water they could find, Aria would have given it up to be back on the road with Aang and the two Water Tribe kids. Holding her nose, Aria slid under the water to rinse her hair before getting out. Gingerly, she stepped out of the tub, not caring about the spreading puddles beneath her feet; somebody would be in to remove the tub and could clean it.

The past couple of weeks had passed slowly for Aria; filled with monotonous routine and very little social interaction. She had possessed freedom to roam the ship that one day before Zhao had cracked down; it didn't surprise her, she had after all used that day to get into a fight. Her schedule was assigned by Zhao and it was with dogged determination that he made sure it was followed. Every morning began with a great tray filled with breakfast options brought by a different sailor every day. The food itself was divine compared to the fare she had been existing on, food that the enlisted men could only wish for. Some days Zhao would stay and eat, leisurely eating while watching Aria with the possessive, smug look one might look upon their prize racing Mongoose-Dragon. Other days he dressed with barely a glance at Aria before rushing from the room. After breakfast, Aria had the option of bathing before taking a walk topside accompanied by Xan; this also being the only chance she got to practice her bending. The sailors bustling around the deck determinedly avoided looking in her direction and it was easy to guess that Zhao had given them a rough way to go. Meals were taken in the Officer's galley where she could make polite conversation or privately with Zhao if he had the time or inclination; usually five or six times a week. The rest of her time was spent in their room, doing anything to keep busy; reading, drawing, playing solitary games. Above all, two aspects of the regime were followed almost religiously; Aria was only left alone when in Zhao's quarters and the nights belonged completely to Zhao.

From the serious drop in motion, Aria could tell the ship had stopped but had not yet left the room to find out what was going on. As she ran the downy towel down her body she vaguely wondered if this was a life she could ever actually get used to. It didn't seem like it; the lack of activities was maddening. Thankfully, Zhao had been gone all morning, leaving well before breakfast had been brought. After dressing, she exited the room and stalked down the corridor without acknowledging Xan; she was infuriated at his complete loyalty to Zhao and wanted nothing to do with him. Jeong Jeong's words ringing in her ears, Aria pushed herself through Firebending, almost negating the effects of the bath. After well over an hour of practicing, her stomach rumbled and though it was somewhat early, she decided to eat lunch. Her feet seemed to know the way to the Officer's galley on their own, freeing her mind to dwell on two of the thoughts that seemed to make up her life. With desperate strength, Aria willed Aang and Katara to master Waterbending; Zhao was coming for them with an entire fleet and he was determined. She had contemplated trying to get a messenger hawk to them but with Xan constantly breathing down her neck, it would be difficult. And then a horrible ache in her chest blossomed when Zuko came to mind. No word had reached her concerning his return to the Fire Nation and she resolved to confront Zhao again; it had been weeks since the agreement had been made, there were no excuses.

-  
>Zhao listened impatiently to Iroh's polite, rambling conversation as he followed him down into the ship's bowels to Prince Zuko's quarters. It was hard to believe the old man had been one of the Fire Nation's best generals and had almost had the title of Firelord; he had shamefully let himself go. It was ridiculous that Zhao had been asked to come to Zuko; that brat should have come running the minute Zhao had stepped foot on the ship. Two of Zhao's men followed silently, their job nothing more than to make Zuko think twice before losing his temper. Coming to a halt at a plain steel door, Iroh knocked gently, almost hesitantly. Zhao waited a grand three seconds before, with a faked apologetic look at Iroh, he flung the door open and stepped aside for Iroh to enter first.<p>

"For the last time, I'm not playing the Sunki Horn!" Zuko's voice issued commandingly when Iroh peered around the open door.

"No, it's about our plans." Iroh answered gravely, "There's a bit of a problem."

"I'm taking your crew." Zhao announced, stepping into the room. Zuko had been leaning against the wall with his arms crossed but at the sight of Zhao, jumped forward.

"What?" Zuko exclaimed angrily, his fists balling up.

"I've recruited them for a little expedition to the North Pole." Zhao answered casually, his hands clasped behind his back. He watched Zuko's face contort in anger and he had to struggle to stop a smug smile from appearing on his face; this was perfect.

"Uncle, is that true?" Zuko asked, pathetically holding out for a last hope; as if his washed up uncle could do anything.

"I'm afraid so. He's taking everyone; even the cook." Iroh answered sadly.

"I'm sorry you won't be there to watch me capture the Avatar." Zhao stated seriously, watching Zuko closely and hoping for an excuse to arrest him. "But I can't have you getting in my way again."

Zuko violently pushed himself away from the wall but with a quick step, Iroh put a restraining hand on his shoulder and shot him a warning glance; it'd be disastrous if Zuko attacked Zhao. Zhao cast his eyes around the room, utterly unconcerned about the boy who thought he was a man, and froze; hanging on the wall were two broad swords. And that day, at the fortress, when Zhao had finally captured the Avatar only to have him helped by the Blue Spirit, came flashing back with breathtaking speed. The Blue Spirit with that taunting, infuriating mask had used broad swords, was incredibly skilled at wielding them. When Zhao had thought he had won, he had the Avatar stored away in the fortress in chains, had Aria, who had unbelievably showed up in the middle of the fortress, the Blue Spirit had broken the Avatar out and the two had fought their way out and disappeared into the woods. Aria too had proven herself to have a brain behind that pretty face when she tricked a soldier into showing her the way out. Though that was in itself infuriating, it was the Blue Spirit that had earned Zhao's attention and now, staring at those hanging broad swords, he had a strong inkling as to the identity of him.

"I didn't know you were skilled with broadswords, Prince Zuko." Zhao stated, taking one down and swinging it experimentally.

"I'm not, they're antiques." Zuko answered defiantly, though Zhao couldn't help but notice his eyes slid down to the floor with this response.

"Have you heard of the Blue Spirit, General Iroh?" Zhao asked, pretending to be absorbed in examining the blade.

"Just rumors, I don't think he's real." Iroh answered steadily.

"He's real alright. He's a criminal." Zhao answered, finally looking up intently at Zuko and handing the sword back, "And an enemy of the Fire Nation. But I have a feeling justice will catch up with him soon."

"Maybe he's trying to help the Fire Nation and it's only you he's against." Zuko burst out, sounding like a sullen little boy. In his peripheral vision, Zhao saw Iroh's hand twitch up as if to cover his face before growing unnaturally still.

The already strained situation intensified as Zuko's words ruminated, waiting for a response from Zhao. Their eyes bored into each other's, both seeming to consider the offered explanation for the presence of the broad swords.

"Leave." Zhao commanded his men with a wave of his hand. Zuko leaned against the wall looking surly while Iroh and Zhao's soldiers made an exodus from the room. When the door swung shut with a solid clang, leaving them alone, Zhao continued idly, "You know, Aria has been residing on my ship for some weeks now."

"You're lying." Zuko hissed, "I've seen her; she's with the Avatar."

"Let me update you on a few things, since you've been out of touch for so long. As soon as you dishonored yourself, General Jirou accepted my marriage proposal. You will never have her; she's as good as forgotten all about you. And here's the kicker; Aria sought me out, turned herself in. I've got the girl and you've got nothing; you're through. Nothing but a banished Prince."

"Get out." Zuko spit out, his face looking as if he had ingested something particularly nasty.

"I've just one question." Zhao stated, a nasty smile creeping up, "Was she such a wildcat when you had her? Oh, when she screams my name; drives me wild. And how she tastes-"

"SHUT UP!" Zuko roared, his face had turned an ugly puce color and his fists were balled up.

"Don't tell me you never got anything?" Zhao asked in fake astonishment, "She was more than willing to spread her legs for me."

"GET OUT!" Zuko screamed in fury. The tendons in his neck looked as if ready to burst from his skin and his body trembled. "Don't you dare- Shut your- DON'T EVER TALK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT!"

"If you're not careful, you'll get yourself arrested. Remember what happened last time you insulted a high ranking officer. Anyway, I'll take my leave; Aria will be waiting for me. I'm sure you can find some Earth Kingdom peasants to crew your ship." Zhao responded, sick amusement evident in his voice. At the door he paused and glanced once more at the displayed swords. "Keep in mind, if you get in my way, I'll kill you."

"Back to the fleet, sir?" The pilot of the small patrol boat asked when Zhao boarded once again.

"Yes, then take a patrol back to that trading village. I need a certain group of men brought to me immediately."

Entering the galley, Aria came back to her surroundings and sat at a table between a couple of Chiefs. Within seconds, an enlisted sailor placed a plate in front of her and bowed. After greeting her politely, the men resumed their conversation and Aria began picking at her meal. Her appetite had completely left her since boarding the ship and she rarely ate more than half of what was given. It wasn't until she picked up on someone talking about Zuko that she paid attention to the men.

"Has Admiral Zhao returned from recruiting Prince Zuko's men?" A smooth voice asked.

"Yes, they've all been assigned to a squadron already." The Chief to her right stated. "A few of them made it into mine."

"I wonder why Zhao went himself." The original voice stated, "He could have sent any of his officers."

"Maybe he didn't think the Prince would listen to anyone else." Another man, a Captain, answered. "That's got to be hard to swallow; your entire crew being taken. Admiral Zhao even took the cook. I was told he offered General Iroh a chance to serve as the fleet's General but got turned down."

"When did this happen?" Aria asked quietly.

"Early this morning, ma'am." The Chief to her right answered immediately, "Zhao halted the fleet and was ferried over to the Prince's ship with one of our patrol boats."

"He stopped an entire fleet to recruit, what, maybe thirty men?" Aria asked.

"This campaign is going to need all the man power we can get." Someone answered in a reasonable voice.

"Do you know where Zhao is now?" Aria asked, as politely as she could.

"I believe he's in the Chart Room planning the approach on the North Pole, Ma'am." The Captain answered.

"Thank you." Aria answered in a clipped voice. As calmly as she could, she stood from the table and stalked out, leaving the hovering enlisted man to pick up after her. Zhao didn't need those thirty men; he needed an excuse to mess with Zuko. Angrily, she stormed up a couple flights of stairs and into the Command Tower, seeking the man she usually tried to avoid. He had effectively stranded Zuko wherever his ship had been; two men couldn't operate a Navy ship alone. And why was Zuko even still out in his ship anyway, when he should have been on his way back to the Fire Nation.

Pushing as hard as she could, Aria swung the heavy door around until it clanged against the wall. Zhao stood with his arms crossed, rubbing his chin and listening intently to another man- high ranking by the look of his uniform- who was moving small pieces shaped like ships across a map. At Aria's less than subtle entrance, Zhao glanced up sharply, a frown marring his brow. The other men in the room also looked in her direction, straightening up from leaning over the map table. Aria stormed up to Zhao, ignoring the others and leaving Xan to hover uncomfortably in the doorway.

"What's your problem?" Aria growled, poking him hard in the chest.

"Aria, I think you're forgetting yourself." Zhao answered with a tight smile. He grabbed her arm and began steering her out of the room, "Gentlemen, if you'll excuse me."

Aria remained silent as she was marched from the room, her lips pressed together in a thin line.

"Have you lost your mind?" Zhao hissed in her ear when they had reached the outer hall, "How dare you, you ignorant little idiot."

Aria tried to rip her arm out of his grasp but his hand closed tighter like a vice, making her wince. They walked in silence for another minute before Zhao stopped, flung open a door and pushed her through it. The room they had entered was taken up by a large table surrounded by chairs; an empty conference room by the looks of it. Finally he let her pull her arm away and she backed up a couple of steps, trying to ignore the automatic nervousness that permeated her body upon finding herself alone with him.

"What were you-" Zhao began angrily.

"No, what were you doing?" Aria interrupted furiously, "Earlier today?"

"I assume you've heard about the new additions to our crew then." Zhao answered, his expression changing to look mildly amused.

"What is going on?" Aria demanded, "I turned myself in weeks ago. Does Zuko even know he can go home? In fact, I demand you take _me_ home! I was only supposed to be on this ship long enough to head you in the right direction for the Avatar. You know where he is; take me home."

"Relax." Zhao answered impatiently. He took a few steps forward and placed his hands on her shoulders, "Don't be worried about your precious Prince, he'll get what's due. I want to know what makes you think you can embarrass me in front of my most senior officers."

"I will not relax." Aria growled, shrugging his hands off and standing on her toes to get in his face, "I want to know when Zuko will be called home and I want to know why I haven't been taken home! I've done everything I'm supposed to do but you and my father haven't delivered anything!"

"I've delivered plenty." Zhao answered with a nasty smirk, grabbing her around the waist. Aria's mouth went dry and her heart fluttered madly but she continued to glare up at him.

"When will Zuko's honor be restored?" She asked adamantly.

"When will you learn to behave?" Zhao retorted. When Aria's expression hardened and she tried to yank away from him, he laughed and pulled her closer, "It's hard to receive messenger hawks with the fleet on the move. The hawks tend to get confused without a fixed position. When we reach Makapu early tomorrow morning we'll have a couple days layover to resupply; you'll get your answers then. Now, as I'm sure you understand, I can't let you interrupt meetings and disrespect me in front of my officers. Seaman Xan will see you to my quarters and I'll be there when I've finished, to take care of your attitude."

"My attitude? You sound like you're trying to be my father too." Aria said scathingly. Zhao ignored her but relinquished his hold and swung the door open.

"Xan!" He barked over his shoulder. Within seconds, Xan came hustling in and bowed to Zhao.

"Sir."

"Take Aria back to our room." Zhao answered brusquely. "Arrange for dinner to be taken there. I'll be joining her this evening."

"Yes, sir."

When Aria moved past him toward the door, Zhao caught her arm and used her momentum to swing her around to face him. With convincing gentleness, he gave a quick kiss on her lips while Xan stared pointedly at the wall.

"I'll be with you later, Aria." Zhao stated softly, his tone of voice and facial expression at odds with the malicious glint in his eyes. Resisting the urge to spit and wipe her mouth like she did as a little girl when receiving unwanted kisses, the corners of her mouth twitched up in the semblance of a smile.

"Looking forward to it." She answered sweetly before following Xan.

Leaving Xan behind in the hall outside Zhao's room, Aria immediately sank satisfyingly into the thick mattress and reclined back to stare at the featureless steel ceiling. Lack of sleep was making her eyes prickle and burn and she rubbed at them tiredly. Sleep in this bed did not come easily and when it did, it came in fitful bursts filled with nightmares. When Zhao himself wasn't keeping her awake, the thoughts of what had happened in this bed were more than enough to keep her eyes wide open. She was incredibly frustrated at the lack of information she had received from Zhao but her exhausted brain seemed unable to form any coherent and tangible thought process, instead, thoughts jumbled around in broken lines, jumping around in a bewildering mess. From what felt like a great depth rose an uninvited memory; "Sometime, very soon, you will have to choose between continuing on your current path or returning to your roots. Weigh each choice carefully; the consequences have the potential to change this war. Do not be lured by false promises." Aunt Wu's voice echoed around her head, repeating the same cryptic warning she had given months ago. Had she been taken in by "false promises"? Though it was a troubling train of thought, drowsiness was taking its toll and before Aria could really delve into that possibility, she slipped into the foggy realm of wonderful dreams and terrifying nightmares.

A loud clanging rap on the door jerked Aria out of sleep immediately though it was another couple of seconds before she got her bearings. The knocking persisted and she slid out of the bed and stumbled over to yank the door open. Five enlisted men, their faces hid by the face plates of their helmets, stood outside; two held a low table between them, one carried two luxurious looking cushions, the others strained under the burden of two great, covered trays. Aria stood aside and allowed them to enter the room, smiling faintly in response to their attempts at bowing. They worked quickly, setting the table and cushions between the sitting area and bed. They were in the process of setting the table with a ridiculous amount of food for two people when the door swung open again. Sitting in one of the low chairs in the sitting area, Aria's head immediately snapped around to observe the only person she knew would walk into this room with impunity.

At the sight of Zhao, the men all stopped what they were doing and stood at attention for the few seconds it took Zhao to take in the scene and give a dismissive wave of his hand, giving them permission to carry on with their job. With a final burst of movement, they finished their task and left, bowing deeply to Zhao, who didn't acknowledge them any further. Aria turned back around in her seat, trying to appear unconcerned about his arrival.

"What have you been doing?" Zhao asked, glancing over the layout of the table.

Aria didn't answer; she couldn't stand when he made conversation as if they were some happy couple. It was infuriating. The situation could have been bearable if it had been presented at face value, if Aria would be treated as the prisoner she was. The constant façade being presented to those on this ship was exhausting and singing his praises to the men on board left a bitter taste in her mouth. Even when left alone with him, Aria was forced to participate in the charade.

"I asked a question." Zhao stated.

"Nothing. I've been doing nothing." Aria answered evenly. Dutifully, she joined him at the table and grabbed food at random to put on her plate. They had provided four different platters of food, each still steaming and looked fit to grace General Jirou's table; upon closer inspection, Aria found she had grabbed hippobeef and komodo rhino tail. Zhao ate steadily while Aria picked at her food, keeping her eyes averted.

"Don't make me start forcing you to eat, too." Zhao said, watching her closely. Aria looked up at him and deliberately dropped her chopsticks onto the table where they bounced off onto the floor. "I'm starting to think you actually do like being punished. Do you get a thrill out of it, Aria?"

"If you're asking if I enjoying infuriating you, then yes." Aria answered, "These days I live to get under your skin."

Zhao laughed and wiped his mouth with a linen napkin before responding.

"I hate to ruin your fun, but I enjoy it as much as you do." He answered seriously, "You're a challenge that I plan on overcoming. The more difficult it is the more fun I have."

Aria's lip curled in a sneer but she remained silent. Shoving the cleared plate away, Zhao stood and began undressing, seemingly not caring that Aria was still staring at him. For the second time, Aria found herself appreciating his good looks and wondering how such an ugly person could be hidden behind such a mask. His muscled back rippled when he stripped off his armor and threw aside his shirt carelessly. Naked from the waist up, he washed his arms, chest, and face in the wash basin before turning back to Aria.

"I'm going to bed." He stated, bending down to unlace his boots. He flung them off and pulled his trousers off. Aria continued to watch him, unabashed by his nakedness; her time on the ship had ripped away much of her modesty and embarrassment of "sensitive" topics.

"I've got a question." Aria said idly, "Was there ever a time you were happy just to be happy? Or has it always been this way? The only time I ever see you smile is when you're making me, or someone else, unhappy."

When Zhao moved to stand next to her, Aria looked down at the floor; sitting on the cushion put her at a decidedly uncomfortable height in relation to his body. His fingers closed around her chin and pulled her face up. Clenching her teeth, she met his gaze evenly; a small smirk lifted the corners of his mouth though his eyes remained cold. Slowly, he put upward pressure on her chin, making her get to her feet. Without a word, he kissed her roughly on the mouth and, retaining his hold on her chin, pulled back slightly to look at her again.

"I'm going to sleep." He murmured against her lips.

"Which means, bed time for me…" Aria responded.

Minutes later, Aria found herself in that suffocating cage of Zhao's arms, resigned to spending another night staring at the wall.

"I thought I was in trouble." Aria said cautiously.

"Do you want to be in trouble?" Zhao answered, sounding half asleep with his face half hidden in her fanned out hair.

"No."

"I've had news; you're going to be punished enough while in Makapu." Zhao said mysteriously.

"I thought you said you couldn't get messenger hawks." Aria said, frowning, unsuccessfully trying to scoot away from him; he radiated heat like a furnace.

"I said it's difficult, not impossible." Zhao responded, starting to sound impatient.

"Why is Makapu going to be punishment?" She asked.

"Go to sleep." Zhao growled in a tone of voice that immediately quelled any questions Aria may have gone on to ask; she wouldn't risk bringing him to full wakefulness again. "I've got an early morning."

Soon enough Zhao's breathing slowed and Aria could feel his body relaxing. She was beginning to realize that somewhere along the way, at some point during the weeks she had been on this ship, her fury was beginning to ebb and it terrified her. Her original anger and hatred for Zhao had been muted into a bitter, angry acceptance. Her own body betrayed her, relaxing against his chest and trying to pull her into sleep. Fear kept her from immediately following sleep's alluring call. Fear that one day she would wake up and find Zhao a perfectly acceptable bedmate. Fear that what Zhao had promised, a broken and accepting version of her, was on its way to becoming a reality. As if to emphasize her train of thought, her eyes slowly drifted shut and for the first time, she fell into a real sleep with Zhao in the bed.

Aria awoke violently when Zhao put his hand on her hip, squeezing it tightly. He applied pressure, forcing her to roll over onto her back. Aria stared around, bewildered from the abrupt awakening, before meeting his amber eyes. In one swift movement, Zhao pushed her legs apart and settled himself between them; his mouth caressing her collarbone and chest.

"Leave me alone." Aria mumbled, her voice sounding thick with sleep. She hadn't slept like that in what felt like ages and she was having a hard time coming out of it.

"I'd love to spend the morning teaching you to be respectful when addressing me." Zhao murmured against her skin, "Unfortunately, I've got a busy day. We'll be making port in Makapu within the hour."

He sprang athletically from the bed and began dressing, moving efficiently. There was a timid knock at the door as Zhao finished tying his hair up in a top knot and he yanked it open to reveal a sailor waiting outside, his face hidden by the face plate of his helmet.

"Sir." The man bowed then stood at attention, waiting for Zhao to acknowledge his presence or shut the door on him.

"What?" Zhao barked, making it evident that he had better have a good reason for coming to Zhao's private quarters.

"Sir, you asked to be alerted to when we made our final approach to Makapu." The man answered.

"Make the preparations for docking." Zhao answered, "Send someone to prepare my dress uniform for tomorrow evening and to make our move to shore. If Aria has to lift a finger, you'll all find yourselves on the front lines in the Earth Kingdom. And she'll need a dress for tomorrow; find one of the local women to serve as a maid for the time we're here."

Not waiting for the man to answer, Zhao shut the door and turned back to Aria, making final adjustments to his uniform.

"Go back to sleep, it's not yet daylight. Someone will be in to move you into our quarters in port. I'll be back this evening." Zhao stated, in a businesslike tone. Aria gave the best sarcastic salute she could muster and Zhao left without another word.

The low creak of the door swinging open brought Aria to awareness slowly and laboriously, like trying to come up from deep water. It felt so good to keep her eyes closed, stretched out on her stomach but after only a couple of seconds she realized she was cold; she had kicked the blankets down around her legs and goose bumps were erupting down her arms and back. Then she remembered what had woken her up; someone had opened the door. Her eyes snapped open and she pushed her tousled, almost black hair out of her face. Five men stood just inside the doorway, come to clean away the dinner mess and bring breakfast. The front two stared at her stunned, trying desperately to backpedal but running into the three men behind them.

"Oh." Aria uttered softly, groping for the blankets.

Seeing her awake, the men immediately dropped their gaze to the floor and halted their disorganized retreat.

"I-ma'am, I'm so sorry." The man in front stammered, staring hard at his boots, "We knocked and no one answered-we thought no one was-I'm sorry."

Succeeding in grabbing hold of the blanket, Aria yanked it up around her neck and sat up, pushing herself up against the headboard.

"We'll come back later ma'am," another man added, "please, forg—"

"Just get your job done and get out." Aria interrupted, embarrassment making her voice sound harsher than she had intended. The men set in motion quickly, clearing the short table of last night's food and laying out breakfast. None of them dared look past the small area of floor they could see by staring at their boots. Aria sat awkwardly, wishing she could sink into the mattress and disappear. As soon as the men left, swinging the door shut behind them, Aria leapt from the bed and got dressed as quickly as she could. She gave a cursory glance at the table; apparently they had docked as there was now fresh fruit laid out on the table but she had quite lost any appetite she may have had. Pacing the room, she felt as if she could never get up the nerve to leave this room and interact with the men who now knew she was barely better than a street whore. It was irrational; anyone with a brain would have assumed her and Zhao were intimate, but nevertheless, it was how she felt. With a nervous swallow, she flung the door open and headed topside; she wouldn't hide away all day only to be deemed a coward as well. Without her acknowledgment, Xan detached himself from the wall and followed.

The gust of wind that hit her as she emerged on deck was marvelous and she stopped to feel its caressing fingers on her face. For weeks, it had smelled purely of the sea, salty, fishy, sea. Today it carried with it the smell of early summer blooms and dirt and grass. And then she saw the gangplank in the lowered position and she all but flew to the side of the ship; below the dock was teeming with life and not all of them Fire Nation Navy. Makapu had been an Earth Kingdom village before the Fire Nation had moved in. Now the villagers tried to profit as much as they could from the Navy sailors who had quite possibly not had luxuries like fresh food in months. Women of questionable character stood advertising for cheap inn rooms. Men and women pushed small produce stands, aggressively selling to the eager men. Faint cries were reaching Aria and she listened in for a bit, leaning far over the side of the ship.

"Have a pretty lady at home? I've got the perfect necklace for her! Pure gold, an authentic Earth Kingdom souvenir!"

"Good booze and cheap rooms at the Drunken Badger!"

"Papayas! I've got papayas!"

And unable to stand being on that ship a moment longer, she dashed down the gangplank and into the bustle, Xan trying desperately to keep her in his sights.

"What pretty skin you have." One of the scantily dressed woman cooed at her, reaching out to touch her face, "Have you ever been with a woman?"

"It is rather nice, isn't it?" Aria agreed, nimbly evading her grasp, "I find bathing really helps."

Spotting an open fruit vendor, Aria trotted forward and seized a great, ripe peach and sank her teeth into it.

"If that's it for you, it comes to three copper pieces." The man behind the stand pronounced, eyeing her expectantly.

"Xan!" Aria called, only having to wait seconds for him to appear at her side, "Take a record of everything I buy. Turn it into Zhao tonight and he can see to it that all these wonderful people get recompensed." Then addressing the Earth Kingdom man said, "Is that acceptable?"

"A-Admiral Zhao?" The man asked, looking at Aria in a new light, "Uh, yes, of course."

And with that Aria moved on to marvel at a stand stacked with sweets; brightly colored taffy, gooey caramel, bricks of fudge, and rich, dark chocolate. Within seconds, she had the stand keeper wrapping up a bit of everything with the promise of having it delivered within the hour to their shore quarters.

"Have you discussed this with Admiral Zhao?" Xan asked blandly.

Aria ignored him and continued on, moving down the dock like a whirlwind and buying anything that even remotely caught her attention; the prospect of sticking Zhao with the bill was delightful. For some reason, this morning's embarrassment implanted the urge to irritate him as much as possible. Silk scarves, odd shaped Earth Kingdom nuts, a pretty silver chain, and a few other Earth Kingdom trinkets were soon added to the list of things Zhao now owed money for. Though all the vendors were friendly enough and went through all the motions of proper customer service, underneath was an icy contempt; though they profited from the Fire Nation Navy, they hated them and wanted their city back.

She spent the day roaming the village, taking advantage of Zhao's absence and the confusion of docking to do what she wanted. It was fabulous, stretching her legs on dry ground and away from that imprisoning steel ship. When she judged she had seen anything worth anything in the village (the port was really the only truly expanded part) and getting bored of her sport, she had Xan direct her to the quarters designated as hers and Zhao's for the time they were in port. They were being housed in one of the biggest houses in the city though that meant little; Makapu was a small port village populated by mildly successful traders. The couple and their child that normally occupied the house were now sleeping in one room while the Admiral was in town, occupying their grandest rooms. Aria knew she was likely missed and she headed, with directions from Xan, to the room she would be presumably be sharing with Zhao.

Unbeknownst to her, while Aria was gallivanting around the town, Zhao had entered his command tent to hold a meeting with questionable guests. The guests had entered the port as inconspicuously as strangers dressed so roughly could and as they passed, several merchants found their purses significantly lightened of their load of gold. Zhao, himself, had opened the tent flap for them and bowed them in before sitting behind his desk and beckoning them to sit. He surveyed them over the tips of his fingers for several seconds. The leader wore a long grey beard with a great reptilian bird sitting on his shoulder and the men accompanying him seemed to have a seedy, unwholesome look; pirates.

"I'm very impressed," Zhao stated smoothly, leaning forward, "you all seem highly qualified for the mission I have in mind."

He pushed a wooden box across the desk at them and sat back. He watched as the Captain opened the box and examined the gold within and greed lit up all of their faces. They were pathetic, perhaps after this little problem was taken care of, the pirates would find themselves taken care of.

"What do you need us to do?" The Captain asked, attempting to sound unconcerned by the amount of gold being offered.

"I believe you're acquainted with Prince Zuko?" Zhao asked, a small smile appearing breaking through his composure. At the pirates confirmation, the smile grew wider.

Another twenty minutes passed before, first the pirates, and then Zhao emerged from the tent, both looking supremely satisfied. Finished with the day, Zhao strode off toward his shore quarters, hoping to find Aria waiting and in a fighting mood.

Upon entering the room, she immediately noted Zhao's presence, sitting at the same large desk that had been his on the ship. In fact, it seemed that the normal furniture of this room had been shoved unceremoniously aside and replaced with the contents of Zhao's quarters on the ship.

"Haha, that made it to shore?" Aria asked amusedly, pointing at the well-used liquor cabinet. "Really? Maybe it's time to admit you have a problem."

Zhao looked up at her but didn't respond immediately, instead grabbing a scroll from a large pile, unrolling it and pursuing it intently. Used to being ignored by him, Aria sat in one of the low chairs and reclined back.

"Where have you been?" Zhao asked after several seconds, leaning back to look at her.

"Shopping. Xan has the record of everybody you owe now." Aria answered, staring back with a smile threatening to ruin her façade of indifference. She had to irritate him. She had to do everything she could to infuriate him; the ever present fear that she was becoming accepting of him drove her to defy him in every little way she could think of.

"You think you're clever." Zhao stated coolly, "It's of no matter to me if those peasants get paid. You've only hurt them, not me."

"Not if you want to maintain good relations with the locals." Aria retorted, "They'll want their money or I suspect there's going to be some resentment toward the Fire Nation Navy."

"There's already resentment. They know better than cause trouble with me; they'd end up buried in the ground they love." He said, "That's something you need to learn."

"Perhaps if I had a better teacher…" Aria said flippantly, turning her back on him to examine an ornate vase sitting atop a small table near the door. The flowers arranged in it were a vibrant purple, something she had never seen before.

Moving so fast Aria only had time to process the sound of the chair sliding forcefully back, Zhao flew from his chair and slammed Aria against the wall; the vase shattered between her and the wall and cold water thoroughly soaked the front of her thighs and stomach. With his hand tangled in her hair, he pulled her head back and to the side so as to get in her face.

"You want a lesson? Fine, let me teach you." Zhao growled.

"I was beginning to wonder when we'd see that temper again." Aria breathed, her neck aching at the unnatural angle, "What are you going to do? Burn me again? Slap me? Do it so your men can see how the mighty Admiral Zhao handles his anger."

Zhao let out a frustrated growl and fear began warning Aria to stop, hinting that maybe she wasn't prepared for the outcome of pushing him.

"You can't even begin to comprehend who you're messing with." Zhao snarled, "I will take everything from you. You'll have nothing but me when I'm done; your two water tribe friends are on borrowed time. When I catch up with them, I will kill them. I'll bring the Avatar so close to death you'll wish I did kill him. The Prince's fate is in my hands. I know where that fool, Kon is and at a word from me, my men can infiltrate that prison and he'll be just another casualty of this war. Believe me, you will lose this battle of wills."

Aria grit her teeth together, unable and perhaps unwilling to retort to Zhao's promises. An icy fear had settled in her chest, making it hard to breathe; Zhao had threatened with such certainty that no trace of doubt as to the truth of his words was left.

"Ah, finally my little siren has run out of words." Zhao murmured, "Good. Perhaps my teaching methods aren't quite as ineffective as you thought."

When Zhao let his grip loosen, Aria's knees almost buckled and she stumbled back into him, trembling slightly. Looking disgusted, he pushed her back toward the wall and moved back across the room to sit in the chair in front of his desk.

"Pull yourself together and get undressed." Zhao ordered without looking back at her.

The next evening found Aria rifling through the home owner's drawers, curious about Earth Kingdom clothes and trinkets and having nothing better to do. Finding a book of Earth Kingdom poetry, she plopped down on a chair, folded her legs beneath her, and flipped the book open to a random page to begin reading. The only sound was of Zhao popping open the wax seals on scrolls to read before making out a response on fresh parchment. Making slow progress with the uninteresting poetry, Aria's eyes were constantly drawn up to watch Zhao, in the same way a grazing prey animal kept tabs on a sleeping predator, never knowing when it would wake up with an appetite.

There was a solid knock on the door and at the sight of Zhao continuing his reading, ignoring the presence of someone behind the door, Aria tossed the book aside and got up to open it. A stout woman dressed in Earth Kingdom fashion stood holding a long, fire red dress; her face was hard though the features looked as if, in better times, she'd be warm and motherly. She gave a funny little twitch in Aria's direction, perhaps an attempt at a bow, and stepped into the room, closing the door behind her.

"She needs to be ready within two hours." Zhao said, without turning around to look at the woman.

"Yes sir." She answered stiffly, turning her expectant eyes on Aria. Realizing the woman was waiting for her to undress, Aria grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it up over her head.

An hour and a half later, Aria was dressed and ready; the dress she was now wearing was such a brilliant red, it made her pale skin look alabaster. The satiny material hugged her hips, making her seem curvier than she ever accomplished when wearing trousers. The Earth Kingdom woman had proven herself to be skilled at manipulating her hair and it was now twisted up behind her head in an elegant bun. Despite Aria's best efforts at engaging the woman in conversation, the woman had remained stoically silent, only indicating she had heard Aria with small nods. As soon as the woman had left, bowing again to each of them, Zhao locked his correspondence in the bottom right drawer of his desk and began dressing for the dinner.

Aria admitted, grudgingly, that he truly did look splendid. The colors of his dress uniform were a much more vibrant red and black than his working uniform and there were several points of gold trim that pulled out the gold in his eyes. It fit him perfectly, profiling his shoulders and waist to look incredibly fit and trim. For some reason it irritated Aria to the extreme.

"I might have to end this dinner early." Zhao said suggestively, eying Aria's figure.

Putting his hand on her lower back, Zhao steered Aria out of the room and through the house to the front door. A palanquin sat resting on the ground outside with several men loitering around it, waiting for Admiral Zhao to make his appearance. At the sight of him emerging from the house, the men snapped to attention and positioned themselves around the luxurious conveyance; they almost needn't have bothered, Zhao continued walking with hardly a glance in their direction.

"I hope you don't mind walking." Zhao said to Aria, "I'd rather not crease my uniform in a palanquin."

"And if I do mind?" Aria asked testily, silently scoffing at the Zhao's concern for wrinkles.

"I was being polite." Zhao answered, "We're walking."

They walked the rest of the way in silence, Aria struggling to keep up with his ground eating strides in that restricting dress. The sky was that particular purple blue that preceded real night and the sun was visible only as a bright light sinking below the horizon. As there were no permanent buildings large enough for the gathering, the dinner was being held in a large pavilion at the edge of the city, close to the docks for the convenience of the Naval Officers. Within minutes, they reached the deep red pavilion with gold trim and lively chatting and laughing could be heard emanating from within. At their approach, two liveried men pulled the flaps in the pavilion wall open and bowed. His hand still resting on the small of her back, Zhao steered her through the entryway and stepped in after her. With the entrance of the fleet's Admiral, the entire room fell silent and stood at attention. Aria stared around at the interior of the pavilion in the few seconds Zhao had paused in the doorway to receive the salutes of his officers.

Two long, low, rectangular tables stood end on end in the middle of the pavilion, surrounded by good sized cushions and laden with dinnerware. Men in highly decorated uniforms stood all around the table, at least forty in number. A host of waiters stood to one end of the pavilion, waiting patiently under the soft glow of the lanterns lining the walls. Zhao walked with purpose to the head of one of the tables, the honored position, looking every bit the arrogant officer he was. Aria, who had followed behind, took the empty seat to the left of him and while Zhao remained standing, she sank gracefully onto her cushion and then completely lost her composure. Luckily the men were watching Zhao otherwise they would have seen Aria's jaw drop and her eyes grow wide; directly across from her, and to the right of Zhao, sat General Iroh.


	26. Chapter 26

Alright y'all, I'm back. I apologize profusely for the long break; hopefully you're all still interested. Lots of stupid crap happened to keep me from writing including killing my second hard drive and being just plain tired of writing about Zhao. I wish he would go away already. Anyway, hope you like it.

She couldn't handle it. The deep tones of the men talking; the softer voices of the waiters, offering more wine; the scrape of utensils across the dining ware. She seemed hyper aware of all of these noises until she was convinced they were shouting instead of conversing politely. And all the while she stared at Iroh, willing him to return her gaze and he never did. Somehow the pavilion seemed to be getting smaller and the air thinner as one thought hammered through her brain, again and again and again; where is Zuko? Where is Zuko? Where is Zuko? _He's been allowed to go home. He's at home, probably sleeping by this time. It's fine. _Her racing pulse called her own thoughts out as lies. She was at her breaking point, about to stand up and start screaming for answers, when Zhao reached out and placed his hand on hers. His touch interrupted her chaotic thoughts and she realized she had been sitting with her hands clenched on the table, staring at Iroh, hardly blinking. Her head jerked over to look at him and though a small smile was in place on his lips, his eyes warned her to remember her place.

She cast her gaze down at her untouched food and withdrew her hands to her lap. Still her heart raced on. Time was slowing; as the dinner went on each minute took longer than the last to pass until she was sure it was about to stop altogether. She put food in her mouth and mechanically chewed, hardly aware of what it was; she might as well had been chewing on sawdust as her mouth had inexplicably gone dry. Iroh's refusal to make eye contact only seemed to confirm something had gone wildly wrong. Did his expression seem depressed and tired or was she projecting her own fears onto him? And then finally the plates were cleared and Zhao was standing to make his speech; the last before launching the attack on the Northern Water Tribe. Random phrases reached her through the fog of fear that had settled over her; the words seemed meaningless to her. Words like glory for the Firelord and themselves, defeat of the savages who for years had thought themselves untouchable, the capture of the Avatar. She sat, seemingly paralyzed, as the men cheered and converged on Zhao, all wanting to shake his hand and bow and make their faces known to their leader; if this battle went well, many would receive promotions. It was then, while Zhao was surrounded, Iroh's eyes flicked up to meet hers and in those few seconds, Aria felt her hear sink down into the floor; those eyes had been filled with sorrow and pity and…smouldering anger?

The men began exiting the tent though Iroh and Zhao remained; Aria might as well have been glued to the spot. They were alone; the tent had become so silent that she could hear her blood pounding in her ears.

"As I'm sure you're wondering, Iroh has agreed to serve as my general for this campaign." Zhao stated blandly.

Aria cleared her throat, preparing to ask the question, but only managed to look at Iroh, her expression asking for her, willing him to tell her.

"I know you and Zuko were very good friends." Iroh said, almost delicately, "You should know… I'm so sorry, Aria; Zuko was killed in an explosion. By the pirates who captured you earlier this year."

But Aria hadn't heard the explanation of who had been behind it; she had already started shaking her head, denying the words Iroh had spoken. They weren't true. Why was he lying to her?

"No. Don't say that." Her voice took on a horrible pleading tone and she continued to shake her head, "Just don't say that. Please don't say that."

Her eyes flicked back and forth between the two men, waiting for one of them to declare it all some horrible joke but they only watched her; one with pitying eyes and the other with morbid curiosity. Her vision blurred as tears welled but she could hear a terrible, high keening noise and it took a minute before she realized the sound was emanating from her own throat. With the realization, the tears spilled over and she could see again. It wasn't possible; he was supposed to be home. She couldn't process the information; there could be no world without Zuko. It was unfathomable. She hadn't heard him move but suddenly she could feel Zhao's arms trying to pull her in close and she reacted without thought. She lashed out at his face, wanting to maim, to destroy that horrible smile that taunted and delighted in her misery.

"He was supposed to go home!" She screamed until her voice cracked. Her nails left deep gouges across his jawbone and cheek, "You promised!"

He flinched back, his hand going to his face involuntarily; at the sight of the blood on his hand, his expression darkened and he made a grab for her again, this time effectively trapping her hands and pulling her against him.

"You knew!" She tried to scream in a broken voice, "You knew he was dead!"

"You'll have to excuse us, General." Zhao said tersely, holding onto a struggling Aria, "As you can see she's deeply disturbed by the news."

With his words, the fight seemed to drain out of Aria and she collapsed into him; his arms were the only thing preventing her from sinking to the ground. Huge wracking sobs seemed to split her lungs apart and though she could hear Iroh respond, the words held no meaning for her. Was there meaning in anything anymore? Without another word, Zhao carried her from the tent and through the streets to their quarters. Seeing them approaching, the manservant swung the door open but not fast enough; Zhao shouldered the it open and pushed rudely past the shocked man and down the hallway. Outside eyes would perhaps see a devoted and caring man concerned for his fiancé but when the door to their room slid shut behind them, he dumped her in a chair and spun on his heel, exiting the room.

It was an hour before she was able to stop her sobbing and she pulled her feet up under her as tight as she could, trying to hold herself together when it felt as though she had been torn asunder. Uncontrollable tremors shook her entire body and tears continued down her face in a well beaten track. The impossible had happened; Zuko was gone. Her chest ached as if his death had taken something vital from her, something she couldn't survive without. Zhao had known; he had told her she would be punished. She couldn't imagine anything more terrible. She tried to care, tried to become angry, but couldn't; it didn't seem to matter.

She had no concept of the time that passed before the tears ceased and her body relaxed into something akin to lethargy. Her head lolled back onto the back of the chair and she stared unseeingly at the steel ceiling; she couldn't comprehend Zuko being gone. It was as if the sun itself had quit rising, despite the world's belief in its infallibility. The door opened, Zhao entered. Without a word he opened the dark mahogany cabinet, poured two glasses, and shoved one unceremoniously into her hand.

She didn't pause to consider the contents of the glass, only tossed it back and shuddered as the liquor went down. She revelled in the intense burn as it settled in her stomach; how many times had she seen Zhao find happiness with the dark amber liquid? Fortified by the warmth that filled her all the way to her fingertips, Aria made eye contact with Zhao as he refilled her glass. The claw marks she had left on his jaw had been bandaged expertly and a small, detached bubble of pleasure surfaced before another wave of grief swept over her and she had to close her eyes to prevent fresh tears.

"I thought-" Her voice cut out and she had to remain silent for a moment to ensure the next time she tried to talk, she wouldn't start sobbing. She swallowed and began again, "I thought this stuff was supposed to make you forget."

"If you want to forget tonight, you'll have to drink more than that." Zhao answered, his tone hostile.

She opened her eyes and looked at him again; he was picking at the bandage and staring at her in anger. She realized he was still furious about the clawing but didn't care; they both knew there was nothing he could do to make this night worse. The alcohol slowed her thoughts but had so far had no effect on the acute pain that made her want to scream. She downed the second glass, grimacing at the burn though this one went smoother. When Zhao made no move to provide more, she reached unsteadily for the bottle on the table between them. Seemingly impossibly fast to her, Zhao grabbed her wrist to stop her but was unprepared for her reaction. She stared for a second before, with a snarl, she stood and blasted him out of the sitting area.

"You will not touch me again!" Aria yelled, her voice hoarse from crying. She watched Zhao jump to his feet, slapping at her fire on his sleeve that had cooled from blue to orange in mere seconds. As soon as she had stood up, the alcohol took hold and her head spun as Zhao's face turned murderous. His movements were too quick, her reactions too slow; by the time she had raised her fists to send another fire blast, he was there, swatting away her lead arm and grabbing her other painfully.

"Never been drunk, have you?" He growled acidly as he reeled her in against his chest. "Slows your reaction time."

"Don't touch me!" Her voice elevated once more to screaming. Her arms confined, she slammed her head repeatedly against his chest as hard as she could and kicked awkwardly at his shins. She was beginning to feel quite sick.

"I was willing to give you a few days for that stupid boy but if your behaviour continues, I _will_ correct it." Zhao said loudly over the sound of her crying again. She didn't respond. "You're done for the night."

When he tried to steer her to the bed, she began struggling again.

"I will not spend one more night in that bed. I won't!" She couldn't stomach the thought. This was never supposed to happen; it was supposed to be Zuko who held her at night, who kissed her and told her everything was okay. Zhao wasn't having it; he sat on the bed, taking her down with him, and Aria began flailing like mad. Before long she found her arms crossed across her body like a strait jacket and Zhao's legs hooked around hers, effectively immobilizing her. The room was silent but for their heavy panting, Aria had struggled like a wounded platypus bear.

Another intense bolt of anguish lanced through her chest and her body went limp, the fight gone. Her face screwed up as great, gasping sobs ripped out of her throat, making her grief a real, tangible thing. How was she supposed to ever move past this?

"How easy it turned out to break you." Zhao said, she could hear the sneer in his voice, "One honourless boy and you're falling apart."

"Stop." Aria managed to cry.

"It was such a valiant effort at martyrdom on your part." Zhao hissed venomously in her ear, "Somehow I doubt he would have returned the favour. Had regaining his honour been threatened, you'd have been forgotten."

Aria could only shake her head in protest, unable to form coherent words.

"You don't agree? How much effort did he put into finding you after he realized you left the Fire Nation? None, the Avatar had the entire of his attention; you were disposable. He's the Prince, of course he could have found a replacement for you." Zhao continued silkily.

Though she didn't reply, the words seemed to blow another hole through her ribcage and the pain of it took her breath away. Zhao fell silent, knowing he had achieved the kill shot. When she had clawed him in the tent, he had been furious. Then she had sent him flying with a blast of fire and the fury escalated and though his hands itched to give her a real reason to cry, he knew his words could do far more damage than anything physical ever could. He could feel her body begin to tremble violently and a victorious smile passed across his face; handling her would be much easier. She had lost this battle of wills.

Slowly exhaustion pulled at Aria and her eyes grew heavy; the combination of alcohol and sobbing had taken its toll. She slept fitfully though thankfully she failed to dream; it allowed her a brief respite. When wakefulness came, it was all at once and sudden. Her eyes opened and she had a few seconds to take in her situation before a crippling surge of despair washed over her. Several silent tears slid down her face; the hysterics were over, leaving behind a cold, mind numbing desolation. Nobody could handle this kind of pain and continue on; it was impossible. Sometime during the night she had sought comfort in Zhao' arms; she was huddled up against his chest and his arms encircled her completely. She realized she didn't even care; it was such a small offense in the light of Zuko's death. Her bottom lip trembled and she hid her face further against Zhao's chest and wished desperately that sleep would claim her once more; it was so much easier than reality.

Aria lay this way for a long time, occasional tears spilling over, before Zhao stirred. He extracted his arm from under her head and sat up. After a cursory glance in her direction, he stood and began dressing.

"You look horrible." He stated bluntly. How long ago had Kon said those exact words to her? It seemed like she had been a completely different person. "We're leaving port within two hours. You need to get dressed."

Aria stood without argument and began pulling her clothes on. Her fingers fumbled on the ties of her boots, taking much longer than usual to get them laced. Several times she paused to wipe tears from her eyes before they had the chance to escape down her cheeks and she was constantly sniffling. When she finally looked up, she jumped slightly in alarm; Zhao was gone. In his place stood the woman who had helped her dress for the dinner, watching her dispassionately. She hadn't heard their coming and going.

"You've been crying." She observed.

Aria didn't respond, only continued looking at her, feeling as if she had more to say.

"It's too bad when things don't go your way, isn't it?" The woman spat out, her tone hostile. "Did your husband not buy you the necklace you wanted? Did he actually tell you no?"

Aria stared at her, bewildered and unable to determine the cause of this attack.

"You people disgust me. You have never missed a meal, nor a roof over your head, soon you will own this world yet you still find reason to complain. I cannot fathom-"

"No." Aria stated abruptly, interrupting her. Her voice quivered with emotion. "Do not put those assumptions on me. I have lost the man I love. I gave up everything for his safety and now he is dead. So do not stand there and pass judgement on me."

It was the first time she had said it out loud and hearing it from her own mouth gave his death a horrible sort of finality; it was as if avoiding talking about it would make it untrue.

"Admiral Zhao is not the man you love." The woman stated, her face softening slightly. Aria let out one short, humourless laugh before responding.

"He is the man I despise. Why are you here? We're leaving."

"I'm to be your maid while you remain here and you haven't left yet; let me comb your hair." The woman answered in a motherly voice.

Minutes later, Aria sat in one of the low chairs with the Earth Kingdom woman standing behind, gently pulling a comb through Aria's hair. With the woman's gentle but persistent prompting, Aria gradually revealed how she had come to be with Zhao, interrupted only by occasional bouts of tears.

"I don't understand how this could have happened." She stated, "How can someone like Zhao be getting everything he wants? He's _bad_. And it's not just him. My father, the Firelord, they always win. Zuko tried to do what he thought was right and he ended up banished and then killed. What's the point? I want to know what staying moral and good accomplishes. It seems like nothing but misery to me."

"Don't ever think that way. It's that train of thought that allows them to win." The woman said fiercely, "It is not for us to see the end result of the big picture. It's our job to trust the process and continue making the decisions that are right and good."

"I gave Zhao everything. I gave up my freedom. I gave up any chance of being with Zuko just so I could know he was safe at home. And now he's dead. Even my attempts at helping the Avatar came to nothing." Aria answered bitterly, "Don't tell me trying to be good ends with good. Don't act like you know what I'm feeling."

"Listen to me. It's when the good people of the world give up that evil is allowed to flourish." She said urgently. She came around the chair to look Aria in the eyes, as if determined to make her listen, "Neither my husband nor my son will ever return from battle. They died. They didn't have a nasty bone in their body and they died. I do know how you're feeling. I have to remind myself every day that they died to save their people. I don't tell you the right decision will always be comfortable but it is necessary. Every time you compromise, it's that much easier the next time and before you realize, you're one of the bad people you speak of."

Aria immediately felt guilty at the woman's words but said nothing. She contemplated what she had heard for a long time. Was that what had happened to her father? She had countless memories of when she had been young and her father had made time for her every day; she couldn't remember exactly when their relationship had started changing, turning distant and cold. She did remember by the time she was ten she had started avoiding him. Had years counselling the Firelord made him forgo his morals? Her lip curled back slightly and she shook her head; it didn't matter. Zuko was dead. Dead.

"Thank you for your wisdom." Aria eventually answered, mostly because it seemed expected of her. The woman nodded though her face was worried, had this girl truly understood her message?

A loud rapping knock resounded through the room and the Earth Kingdom woman stood quickly to open it; sailors stood ready to transfer their quarters to the ship. Aria stood and faced the woman and they regarded each other with newfound respect for several seconds. Aria bowed and that was the last she saw of the Earth Kingdom woman; she didn't even know her name. She didn't move for several minutes as the men hustled around her. Horrible sadness seemed to radiate from her chest through the rest of her body and suddenly she was just so tired.

With sudden inspiration, she turned to the desk and searched the unlocked drawers, finding what she was looking for in the second one down. The bag was heavy, more than what she would need but she took it all anyway.

"Xan, I need a favour." She had found the man in his usual spot, waiting just outside the door. Aria had always wondered what he did to keep himself from boredom. "Do you still have the list from the market vendors?"

"Yes, miss." Xan answered, his eyes lingering over her puffy eyes and pale cheeks.

"I need you to take this and pay my debt." She stated, her voice sounding subdued as she deposited the bag of gold in his hands.

"You can take me back to the ship first or if there is someone else you trust, you can give them the list." Aria added, noting his hesitation.

"I would be happier making sure you were safe on the ship first but then, I will make sure those people are paid." Xan assured her, still eyeing her in concern.

"Thank you. I'm ready to go now." Aria said, moving aside to let men carrying furniture pass by.

"May I ask a question?" Xan asked. Aria nodded and he continued, "Are you…well?"

Aria had fully intended to answer with a conclusive yes but, looking at the man in front of her, her throat closed up and, to her horror, tears filled her eyes. She gave a jerky nod and spun on her heel and marched down the hallway. As much as she hated herself for thinking it, she almost wished that sometime very soon she'd be over Zuko. Anything would be better than this. This aching pain that could elevate into unbearable sharpness without warning. It would almost had been better if she hadn't loved him in the first place rather than know this raw, naked loss. She was able to recognize that thought as untrue but it did little to comfort her.

The sun was barely visible over the horizon, sending tentative tendrils of pale pink and brilliant red into the fading night when they stepped onto the gangplank. With a respectful bow, Xan left her in Zhao's quarters to carry out her request. The room had a silence so deep that Aria could hear an odd ringing. Nothing had changed; the sailors had been efficient, the furniture sat exactly where it had been before they moved to shore. It was heart breaking in its own way; this room seemed to mock with its unchanging nature that Aria's world had changed so completely. Shortly after, the ship gave a small lurch and began rocking gently; they were moving back out to open ocean. Zhao's quarters were too well placed to hear them but Aria knew the great pistons of the engines would be driving them swiftly to the North Pole.

For three days, Aria remained in the room and ate little and slept even less. Zhao was rarely seen except at night when he promptly undressed and crashed in the bed; there was much to do to prepare for the invasion of the Northern Water Tribe and he left early in the morning and returned late.

"You're done moping around this room." Zhao stated loudly, jerking Aria out of a dozing half sleep.

"I'm done when I'm done." Aria answered emotionlessly.

"And I say that's now." Zhao said, his tone warning against an argument, "You will resume your normal routine; from what I understand you spent time bending topside and ate with the officers. Your absence has been noted and it won't do to have my betrothed pining after the dead prince."

"I cannot stop grieving him on your command so if you'd like me to do so in front of your men, it is your decision." Aria responded sardonically.

"You will present an untroubled, content face to the rest of this ship despite whatever misplaced feeling you are having." Zhao said calmly, "I gave you time. Now get over it."

"I don't have to." Aria said, meeting his eyes with a cold stare, "He's dead. The deal is over."

"Was he really everything to you?" Zhao asked, raising an eyebrow, "So much that his death has made you forget those two Water Tribe peasants? Or what about Kon? I can't believe you'd so quickly forget his welfare."

"Don't hurt them." Aria said tiredly. A pang of fear hit her though it was dwarfed next to the grief she had been feeling; she couldn't handle the thought of losing them too.

"Don't force me to." Zhao retorted. Aria didn't respond, only closed her eyes and hoped when she opened them again, she'd be somewhere else. The door opened and closed and she could sense she was alone. She didn't know the length of time she lay there before a metallic knock forced her to her feet to answer the door. Xan stood with an unfamiliar man and Aria looked at them expectantly.

"General Iroh extends an invitation to take tea in his rooms." The stranger said. Declining the invitation was tempting; being polite and civil seemed beyond her ability but it was Iroh. He too had lost someone dear to him.

"Give him my thanks and tell him I'll attend on him shortly." Aria answered before shutting the door. Quickly she washed her face in the shallow basin and pulled her hair back into a topknot; it wouldn't do to go out from these rooms looking less than what Zhao expected. It wasn't until she had bent down to wipe her boots clean that she realized she was stalling and was slightly bemused; why wouldn't she want to see Iroh? As if asking the question summoned the answer, the reason was immediately apparent; she was terrified of what he wanted to say. She didn't want to hear of Zuko's final moments. She didn't even really want to talk about him at all. If just thinking about him made her want to curl over and hold her sides from the pain, talking would be unendurable.

"I had hoped this would be a tea we would share alone." Iroh said delicately, offering Aria a fragile porcelain cup. Then addressing Xan, "And so I apologize for not setting a place for you."

"Thank you sir, I am not here to partake. Only to fulfil my orders." Xan answered respectfully and bowed.

"I'm sorry General. Zhao fears for my safety and so sets him to follow me unless I retire to our own quarters." Aria explained. She and Iroh sat at a low table set with tea things and a small tray of cakes while Xan stood as inconspicuously against the wall as he could.

"It's of no matter." Iroh said smiling gently. Aria couldn't help but think he seemed disappointed. "Please, help yourself to the cakes."

"Thank you." Aria said and took one out of politeness; she hadn't had an appetite since it happened.

"Soon we'll be far North enough the weather will be far below freezing." Iroh stated, "Many underestimate the importance of eating enough to stay warm. It's even more essential than all the cloaks and blankets to be found on this ship."

"I heard the ice fields of the North are glorious to look upon." Aria responded, ignoring his subtle hint at eating.

"Ah, yes, beautiful but deadly. It's an inhospitable land." Iroh said seriously, "But it's the lights that are the true pride of the North. They dance across the sky in colours that only exist there."

"It sounds beautiful." Aria said.

After pouring more tea, Iroh settled into a conversation on tea. Aria had no idea there was so much to know about it; to her tea was something that served when one was thirsty, nothing more. It was a conversation she would have listened to with interest a short while ago; now it was enough to sit and act as if she was listening intently. Suddenly she realized Iroh was silent; how long had he been done talking?

"Aria, sometimes we think the people we have lost are beyond our reach," Iroh said carefully, watching her pick at the small cake, "But if you look hard enough, we find they never really left."

Aria stared at him for a long time without answering; usually she had fun trying to decipher Iroh's odd sayings. Today she wanted to demand he speak plainly or get up and retreat to her room.

"Your words are truly comforting." She said dutifully. Confusion flared when Iroh's face turned briefly to frustration before composing back into the serene look he normally wore. Was he frustrated with _her_?

"I'm glad I could offer such comfort." Iroh said smoothly.

"I miss him." Aria stated quietly.

"My nephew was resourceful and smart; it's odd to think such thugs could have succeeded in their mission." Iroh said in an odd voice. "Almost unbelievable."

"Yes…he was." Aria agreed tentatively. She felt as if she was missing a vital point of Iroh's words but had no idea what it was. "I…have to go. I'm expected to take lunch with Admiral Zhao. Thank you for your kindness."

"It was my pleasure." Iroh answered, inclining his head, "I hope you'll consider coming again."

Aria set her teacup down gently and got to her feet. She hesitated, feeling as if there was something more to be said, but then walked out. That she was expected to take lunch with Zhao was a lie but she couldn't bear talking about Zuko one second longer; Iroh being here was a constant reminder that Zuko wasn't. It was all she could do to keep the tears from falling as she hurried back to Zhao's quarters; was she weak as Zhao had seemed to be implying? Was it a fault that she could hardly think of Zuko without feeling as though the world had come to an end? Leaving Xan at the door, she threw herself on the bed and tried to prepare herself for facing the officers during meal time.


End file.
